The Runes
by tprillahfiction
Summary: S/Mc Slash. Leonard McCoy buys some cursed Runes. In order to break the curse he has to have sex. Sounds easy enough, but McCoy finds that his life is irreversably changed forever. Horror, hurt/comfort, friendship, angst, romance.
1. Chapter 1

Title: THE RUNES

Author: T'Prillah (previously posted on the S/Mc Haven under a different name)

Series: TOS

Chapter 1 pairing: S/Mc, Sc/f

Rating: M--explicit slash. (If you are under 18 please do not read. If you have a problem with m/m relationships or slash then you might want to head somewhere else.)

Summary: McCoy buys some cursed love runes while on shore leave. In order the break the curse he has to have sex. But with who? Horror, angst, h/c

Beta: Thanks to McCoySpockLove for the beta. All errors remain mine.

Acknowledgements: Again thank you to McCoySpockLove for the feedback and the suggestions during the early drafts of this story.

Author's note: The Vulcan culture comes straight from the Vulcan Language Institute. Also, acknowledgements to "Spock's World", and "The Vulcan Academy Murders" where much of the Vulcan language comes from. However I have made up a few Vulcan words here and there where it suits me. For this story Leonard McCoy was born in Conyers, Georgia. Written in First Person, McCoy's POV. Takes place about a month after the events of "Amok Time".

Feedback: yes please. All positive or negative concrit is welcomed.

Disclaimer: STAR TREK is owned by Paramount, CBS, the old Desilu studios, Viacom, CBS. I make absolutely no money from this story. I use the characters of the Original Series of Star Trek under the rules of 'fair use'. Story is written solely by me.

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THE RUNES (Chapter 1)

"How much?"

"For you, Doctor McCoy, since I like you so much, I'll sell them to you for twenty-five credits."

"That's it?" It seemed like a bargain. Too much of a bargain. "Why only twenty-five credits? What's the catch?"

"No catch," the proprietor assured me. "These are pretty, no?"

That, they were. Enchanting, almost. "Fine. I'll take 'em." I watched him place the unique find into an equally stunning box. He mumbled something I couldn't hear then gestured to me that he was headed into the back to find a suitable ribbon to tie it with. "I don't need a--" I tried to tell him, but he was already gone.

To pass the time till his return, I pulled out my communicator:

"Personal log. Stardate 3372.12. I am standing here in the Exotic Collectables' shop located on the lovely planet of Berengaria Seven, smack dab in the middle of the main bazaar in the center of town, enjoying a well deserved shore leave for a few days. Ensign Chekov had beamed down with me but he ran into old girlfriend of his and well, now I'm alone. However, in about an hour the captain will rendezvous with me for a nice relaxing drink. We had invited Scotty along, but he, of course, begged off, claiming that it would be much more relaxing for him to stay on board and catch up on his technical journals. Excuses. Excuses. If he keeps that up I think I might start taking it personally. I don't think Scotty's ever taken a leave; not since I've signed on board. One of these days, I'll have to make it a medical order. Well, I'm not one to skip a shore-leave; medical journals can wait; thank you very much. While here, I plan on stocking up on a few needed items for my…uh…medical stores, and more importantly, relax and enjoy the scenery. McCoy out."

I finished recording the entry; reached behind me to stick the communicator back on my hip and as I did so, I could swear I heard it beep. It was a little early for Jim to contact me. Probably just my imagination. I hope.

I strained my ears in this noisy shop and heard nothing more. It _was_ just my imagination. Probably someone else's communicator. There were other Starfleet personnel on leave milling around down here. It had to be one of theirs. I hope.

"Maybe I should actually check it to see if it has a message light_," _I mumbled to myself. _"_Then, I'd know for certain. Oh…stop being so paranoid, McCoy. Nobody is contacting you. Just relax." _Damn my constant worrying about the ship. If I'm not careful I'll end up talking to myself._

I pulled the communicator off once again to check it (just in case). There it was; the flashing red light. I groaned and flipped it open. "McCoy to Enterprise. Is somebody calling me?"

_"Sickbay here. Doctor McCoy." _It went straight through to sickbay to my head nurse._ Dammit._

_"_Chapel_, _I told you to handle any incoming consults, unless it's a dire emergency."

"_Doctor McCoy_." Christine Chapel's voice took on a curt tone, cutting sharply though this din. She must be busy up there, or somebody's giving her trouble. "_I have a patient standing here who wishes to speak only to you." _I was correct_._

"Who?" For some reason, I knew damn well who she meant.

"_It's Mister Spock. Sir_."

"Put him on."

"_Spock here_."

"This had damn well better be important, Mister Spock!" I snapped then stopped short when I realized that the Vulcan just might have a good reason for pestering me. "What is it I can do for you?"

"_I appear to be slightly afflicted with… an upper respiratory ailment," _Spock's voice actually admitted.

Spock did sound a little off. "I've noticed," I said. "I can hear it in your voice. Do you have a sore throat?"

"_Affirmative_."

"I'm willing to bet real money that you probably waited till it absolutely killing you before you decided to do anything about it." I breathed out slowly and closed my eyes. "Put Chapel back on."

"_Here, sir_."

"What does his bio-readout say?"

"_Viral infection_."

"For the moment, Christine, please dispense to him some antiviral tablets." I heard my head nurse's footsteps fade away over the communicator in response to my order. I waited a few more seconds till I was certain she was out of earshot. "Spock, I know damn well you didn't signal me because of a sore throat. Are there any other symptoms you are experiencing_?_" I knew Spock only too well. There had to be something that he was reticent to discuss in front of Nurse Chapel.

There was a few seconds of hesitation over the link. Then: "_Affirmative_."

"Yes," I said very patiently. "Care to tell your kindly doctor?"

"_I appear… to also… have a seriously upset stomach."_

"How serious?"

"_I merely wished your opinion on a course of action to alleviate--_"

"Spock? Are you vomiting?" I heard nothing from him so I assumed that to be the case and he just felt uncomfortable saying it. I sighed and noticed a pretty girl standing near me. A very pretty girl. My type. Brunette, blue eyes. Curvaceous. I made eye contact with her, gave her a classic McCoy smile as I continued: "Nice job, Spock. I wonder how you managed to contract this_." _I continued staring at her until her very large boyfriend turned up. Ah well.

"_Perhaps I spend too much time in the company of humans_," said Spock. This was apparently a feeble attempt of his at a joke. However, his voice sounded resigned, almost tired and definitely had a un-Spock like scratchy quality to it. Excellent timing.

Spock sounded downright awful in fact. "Spock," I just had to ask. "Have you had diarrhea?" I noticed another very pretty woman, a blond this time, filling out her red Starfleet operations uniform nicely. She walked past me just as I'd said that gem of a word; she gave me a disgusted look. I smiled sheepishly back at her, mouthed : _I'm a doctor_!', shrugged, then turned away from her for some privacy.

"_I have_," Spock was saying to me, very quietly.

With that, my brain immediately went back on duty. Vulcans did not normally develop diarrhea. It could be dangerous. "Drink lots of water! Lots! I'm certifying you unfit for duty for twenty-four hours. No arguments!" I knew even via the audio only that the Vulcan was preparing to open his mouth in protest. "I'll be back up to the ship in ten minutes to take a look at you. Thanks a lot, really Spock. I might have been with a pretty girl, you never know." There certainly were a lot of those down here.

"_I did not intend to interrupt your leave_."

"Oh yes you did," I joked. "You're just jealous that I'm down here and you're not."

"_Doctor, I am incapable of jealously."_

"Oh, right. Right," I snickered. "I forgot about that important little detail. God, I'll be so glad when Doctor MBenga signs on board next month. With your track record of illness upon injury upon sensitive dietary requirements taking up most of my precious time, Lord knows we needed him_."_

"_Doctor, that statement regarding my physical health is a complete fabrication. It is unnecessary for you to beam back aboard_."

"I can't have a good time on leave when I know I have a sick Vulcan stuck on board the Enterprise. You know that_."_

"_The illness I am afflicted with is relatively minor. I merely wished for a medical opinion regarding care till you return from leave."_

"Relatively minor? How the hell do you know? You got a medical degree somewhere that I don't know about? You have diarrhea. That can be dangerous for a Vulcan. It would be my luck your illness would progress into something worse. The captain would have my hide if that happened. No, Spock. You're feeling ill enough to have signaled me so I'm beaming back aboard." I picked up my purchase and walked out of the shop, out into the open air, away from the crowds so I could do just that. Oh, God, it was so beautiful out here. Why did I have to go back up?

"_I assure you, Doctor, I am perfectly capable of performing my duties after Nurse Chapel dispenses the anti-viral tablets," _he continued his protestations.

"Well, I need to confirm--" I was silenced by the footsteps of Nurse Chapel returning with the antiviral.

"_Here, Mister Spock, take this,_" I heard her say. I heard him reply back but I couldn't discern it due to all the chirping noise of the little flying creatures down here on Berengaria Seven. God, were they ever lovely flying creatures. Why do I have to go back up?

"Spock," I interrupted. "Who do we have still on board who can relieve you on watch, temporarily?"

"_Lieutenant Uhura."_

"Perfect. She needs to log some conn experience. Nothing terrible will happen while we're in autonomous orbit this far into federation space anyway." I shuddered at the thought. "At least I hope so! Go to your quarters and stay there for twenty-four hours. Ill be right up."

"_Sorry, Doctor McCoy," _said Christine's sympathetic voice. I could just picture her glaring daggers at our illustrious first officer.

"Yeah, well, cant be helped. McCoy out." I switched over to Lieutenant Kyle in the transporter room. "Mister Kyle. One to beam up."

I stood rigid and waited for the tingle.

--------------------

The beam seemed to take unusually long this time out.

I could see the transporter room slowly fade into existence as soon as my optic nerve partially solidified. However I could feel that something was terribly wrong. The transporter room suddenly disappeared and was replaced with Berengaria Seven. Then, I was back on the Transporter pad, then back on Berengaria, then back on the Enterprise with Mister Kyle in my field of vision, now looking panicked at me. In fact he was worse than panicked, he was bearing an absolutely terrified expression. Oh oh. Then I was on the planet again, then back in the transporter room. Then, I was back on Berengaria.

_This could go on forever. This is how I die. I knew it. See? Didn't I tell Spock, this is how I'll die? Please God. Just don't let me be turned inside out._

I was unable to move in this living hell of bouncing back and forth. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the transporter room solidified around me. The beam released it's hold and I stumbled off of the pads, pitching forward, ready to throw up.

"What in blazes was that all about, Mister Kyle?!" I screamed at him, even though I knew this couldn't possibly have been his fault, but it felt so good to vent on him.

"Sorry about the rough beam up sir, there was a bit of technical difficulty," Kyle gasped at me. Eyes wide. His Bristol accent a little thicker than usual. I could see the sweat flowing in rivers down his face.

"Mister...Kyle." I shakily rested my hands on my knees to collect myself and also in a feeble attempt to counteract the nausea. "If I almost died in that thing, just now, don't ever tell me the truth. EVER. Where the hell is Scotty?"

"Down here, Doctor McCoy," came the comforting mumble from underneath the console. "We're fixing it now. I canna understand what happened. It seemed that a circuit on it--"

I was already out of the transporter room before I had a chance to listen to a detailed explanation. I didn't want to know. Just fix the damn thing.

--------------------

"Hi Spock." I breezed into the Vulcan's quarters without signaling, as usual. "House call."

"Completely unnecessary." Spock looked up from his harp, momentarily startled by my rather sudden, stealthy entrance.

"Let me be the judge of that," I grumbled. I plonked myself down heavily into Spock's wooden Vulcan chair and tossed my medi-kit onto his desk. "Bet youre sorry you signaled me."

"I am," he agreed.

"You, be quiet. Next time Im on leave and you get sick, you'll have to learn how to describe your physical symptoms to Nurse Chapel. Then you dont have to deal with me fussing over you."

"I prefer to be treated only by you," he stated in his distant, flat tone that he normally used when he was uncomfortable.

"Look, Spock," I complained. "You're making it very difficult for me to have any time off. At the moment I am the only physician on staff, till we pick up the two new doctors at the next starbase. If I'm not around, Chapel is quite capable of looking after you. More than capable."

He did not reply but continued wearing a stony expression.

"Alright, alright," I said, backing down. This preference of his wasn't anything new. He and I had been going round and round on this issue since Id signed on board. My workload wasn't so bad before my ACMO was killed planet-side two months ago. Now I was swamped. However, Spock trusted few people. I was one of them. I realized that I should feel honored. However, I didn't think much of his aversion to my head nurse. It was an insult to her. Mentally filing it away to pursue that conversation later, I changed the subject. "Why aren't you resting?"

"I am resting," he replied. In situ, Spock's voice was even huskier than usual. I found myself smiling warmly at the vulnerable quality of it. This was definitely a rare occasion.

Then I wiped the goddamn smile off my face.

"You've got human influenza, Spock." As I reported this I gave him my best scowl and clucked my tongue disapprovingly, just in case he was oblivious to my annoyance.

"A human strain? Not Vulcan?" By his innocent expression and tone of voice, I could tell he was entirely oblivious.

"Yes it's definitely...human," I sniffed with an air of mock disgust. "Hence the diarrhea. The strain you've contracted is relatively minor, but it'll affect you for a couple of days." Then, I really let him have it. "Mister Spock, when are you going to get it through your thick Vulcan skull to take it easy for once? This illness is a warning to you. You're continually running your bodily defenses into the ground, then finally you fall apart and I'm the one who is stuck putting you back together! What's worse is that you've been pushing yourself to the limit even more so lately!"

"How do you know this?"

"Because I know everything that goes on aboard this ship," I insisted. "Everything you eat. The exact time you actually go to bed. Down to the second."

"Fascinating. I had not realized my private off-duty hours were so much of interest to you."

I narrowed my eyes at our first officer, and decided to keep on going as if hed listen to me for once. "Think because you're half-Vulcan, you're invincible, huh? Well you're not. When you're not in Jim's quarters playing chess all night long or tuning that damn harp for God knows however long, you're pulling double shifts or helping Scotty out. Just when are you going to start sleeping properly? A couple of hours meditation a night isn't cutting it. I've also noticed that you're not eating enough. You've lost weight, nor are you wearing a sweater on your off duty hours and--"

My lecture was interrupted by a loud sound coming from behind the harp. "Is that a sneeze? Did I just hear you sneeze?" I couldn't help but laugh out loud at the ridiculous sound of it.

"Your hearing is not defective, along with your obvious surveillance abilities. I fail to see what is so amusing about my sneezing." He sneezed once again.

I cocked my small Type II medi-scanner at his nose, glanced at it and gave a loud sigh. "I've never heard you sneeze before. I didn't think Vulcan's were capable of such a thing. They probably think it's beneath them."

"Don't be insulting, Doctor. Since I am half human, I am capable of doing so. Granted, it is a rare occurrence." His voice was getting scratchier.

I snickered and regarded him almost fondly. "You're lucky that at the moment you seem so...fragile...or I'd be really angry with you."

"You are always really angry with me," he said.

I jerked my head up at that. He raised his eyebrow at me. Was he teasing me? Never.

He got up from his desk and reached for another mug. "I am not in any way, fragile, Doctor McCoy."

"Is that why this is the second time in six months you've come down with an illness?"

He pointedly ignored that. "Herbal tea, Doctor?"

"Is that what you're drinking to settle your stomach? Is it safe for me to drink?"

"I would not offer it if it was not."

"Well," I laughed. "Might be an easy way of getting rid of me." Spock let out one of his famous long suffering: _Lord save me from these humans_ sighs. I shrugged. "I suppose I'll have one too."

Spock nodded and programmed the food processor for hot water, then put in a tea bag in for me. He set it down on the desk in front of me but it was a little too far from my grasp.

"Spock," I sighed. "Will you _please_ just _hand_ over it to me?" He pulled that crap every time I visited his quarters. Whenever he offered me a drink, instead of handing it over like a normal person, he would just set it down in front of me. It drove me crazy.

"I cannot," he replied hesitantly.

"Is that a Vulcan thing?" I asked. He nodded at me and I sighed one of my own famous: _Lord, save me from all Vulcans_' sighs. I leaned all the way over to pick up the mug off of the desk and took a tentative sip. "Hey, this is good."

"It is non-reconstituted."

I smiled. He knew I wasnt a fan of the tea generated from our food processors. "Yes, thank you, Mister Spock. I can see the tea-bag. I can also taste the difference."

"_Pla-savas _fruit, Doctor?" He motioned by a red glass blown bowl and I peered into it.

"Is that the notorious fruit that stains your teeth blue? No thanks." I tilted my head. "God, your voice sounds horrible. Stop talking so much, you're straining it. I'd recommend you put some honey in that tea, but you're allergic to it." I got up, moved in closer to Spock, reached up with both hands and felt the Vulcans lymph nodes in the neck. "You're swollen. Want me to whip you up something for your throat in the sickbay?"

"Negative."

My hands slid down to feel the nodes in the underarm but Spock pulled out of my grasp. "Get back here." He reluctantly came back within reach and I felt the nodes at the underarm. Oooh boy, were they ever inflamed. I bet his body was aching him. But If I'd asked him, he'd tell me 'no'. "I'm the doctor around here, let me do my damned job..." I mumbled to remind him for the ten-millionth time since I signed on board the Enterprise.

"One might have thought you missed your calling as a Starfleet Intelligence Officer," he said. At my glare, he actually smirked at me. "I am, also, most certain that Captain Kirk and Mister Scott would appreciate your presence on their shore party," he said, as I continued to examine him.

He tried to pull from my grasp once again, but I held on to him tightly. He got the message. "I trust I won't have to examine the nodes in the groin and that you'll just fess up and tell me if they're inflamed or not," I said archly.

"One could use the scanner," he scoffed.

"Dammit!" I snapped. "Who's the doctor around here?! Me or--"

"They are also afflicted," he replied.

"Good, you're learning." Somehow I think he did that delibretly. He liked to see how pissed off I could get before I blew my stack. I finished with my examination and sat myself back down in Spock's favorite chair which was also my favorite and attempted some casual conversation. "So is Scotty really going on leave this time? I don't see how he can right now. I left him in the transporter room fixing the transporter. It was malfunctioning just about ten minutes ago. I should know. I was in the beam."

"The transporter is fully operational once more."

"What about those damn technical journals he's so fond of reading instead of taking leave like a normal person? He's worse than you are."

"He has decided to abandon them to join you on leave."

"Finally I get through to that thick skull of his!" I laughed. "But I'm still not leaving you."

"Doctor," said Spock. His eyes were unmistakably filled with genuine amusement. "You behave as if I have contracted Rigellian fever. My stomach symptoms have nearly cleared, thanks to your potions, beads and rattles."

"Nearly? Are you being honest?" Out came my type II med-scanner again to confirm Spock's claims. "Yes but...your sore throat."

"That symptom has been alleviated."

I cocked a disbelieving eyebrow at the Vulcan, however my scanner concurred: Strain X3456 of Terran Influenza, patient cycled though all symptoms and nearing recovery. Dammit. The poor half- Terran Spock who could obviously pick up our puny diseases, sounded horrible and obviously felt just as bad even if he refused to admit it, was right. He wasn't ill enough anymore to warrant my continued presence. I could indeed check in with Spock via communicator if need be. "Open your damned mouth," I ordered as I pulled a wooden tongue depressor out of my medi-kit. He obliged me, and sure enough, no _green_-ness. Alright. Fine.

And...it would be six more long dreary months before I would get to take another leave. And I had to admit, I desperately needed some more time off. I was exhausted.

But...Spock just might take a turn for the worse while I was away. "I don't like it," I protested. "Forget it."

"Doctor. While you were down on Berengaria, I am certain you noticed the abundant parkland, Earth-like green grass, trees and blue sky. Much like your home state of Georgia on Earth, I believe."

I slipped my scanner back into the medi-kit and narrowed my eyes. "How do you know what Georgia looks like?"

"I have visited there, Doctor, as a child."

"Have you really been to Georgia?" Suddenly, I felt very pleased about that. "With who?"

"My mother. The woods of Berengaria and Conyers, Georgia are nearly identical, are they not?"

"Why would your mother take you to visit Conyers?"

"I have relations on her side who reside there."

"Really?" I smiled at that. "In Conyers, huh? I was born there. Hey, Spock wouldn't it be funny if we were distantly related?"

"No," he replied.

I didnt even waste my time with a snappy retort. Instead my thoughts were of home. "Yes, Berengaria's very close to Georgia," I said wistfully, suddenly unleashing my Georgia drawl, and falling helplessly into Spocks trap. "Spock you don't know how much I miss walking on nice, lush green grass. Being on the family farm, at home. The woods. Walking on Berengaria beats having to be up here, treating annoying, stubborn Vulcans any day."

"If you find me so stubborn and annoying, Doctor, why would you wish to spend any more time up on the Enterprise with me than absolutely necessary?"

I knew what he was doing; I wasnt falling for it. This time. "I have to. Because I'm the only one on the medical staff you trust. That does mean a lot to me." I waited for the reaction…and there it was. I smirked. "I know you more than you think I do, and I know you'll just suffer in silence till you are desperately ill. Then if you suffer a relapse while I'm down there, I'll feel guilty that I wasn't up here for you and forever kick myself. So you see, Spock. Logically--" Ha, I knew I'd get a sharp look for that one. "I know it won't be worth the grief."

"I once spotted a dragon," he said, changing tack. He wasn't going to quit, was he?

"A dragon? Where? In Georgia?"

"On Berengaria Seven."

"A real dragon? Are you sure?" At his nod, I drank a gulp of tea and studied it, thinking and playing with the mug's handle. "I wouldn't mind studying a dragon. It really is too bad you couldn't have joined me down there, Spock. You and I could have had a nice little drink, maybe with fruit and an umbrella."

Spock shook his head. "One does not need to consume a beverage under an umbrella. The sun of Berengaria Seven is not hot enough to require shelter or sunscreen of any kind."

I stared at the Vulcan's comment dumbfounded for a few seconds, then gestured wildly. "No no Spock! It's not a real umbrella. It's a...little one that goes inside the drink. It's made from paper and a wooden toothpick. Its sort of something you do on vacation, or a cruise."

I could tell that he still did not comprehend this. This time he tilted his head like my old dog back in Conyers used to do.

"Forget it. It's takes too long to explain." I let my hands fall onto my lap and chuckled. While it was a little frustrating, I found myself enjoying this little conversation with Spock, immensely. Apart from my telling him off, and his comparing me to a witch doctor' as usual (with that _beads and rattles_ crack) we weren't arguing much, for us. The light arguments we _were_ having lately, actually seemed perfunctory. Lately it seemed that we were finally becoming relaxed with one another.

So, since we were being so unusually relaxed with one another these days, I decided to go out on a limb and venture something I never normally would dare. "Spock?"

"Yes, Doctor?"

"Would you of had a drink with me?"

"We are having one now."

"I meant, a real drink. Or, your preferred tipple, an Altair water. See? I remembered." I rubbed my sweaty hands on my trousers. "What I meant was. It'd be…nice to relax with you one of these days on a shore leave. I'd like to interact with you as a friend. Not always with the captain. Just us two." Oh, what the hell was I saying? Was I overstepping the line?

Spock just looked at me, but I could see him processing what I had to say. "That would be...acceptable."

Just, acceptable? Oh. Maybe that was a hint for me to knock it off. We were relaxed around each other but not too relaxed. The problem was I never knew where I stood with this Vulcan. Maybe he preferred it like that. I guess I did too. I cleared my throat and added in a harsher tone, "You could have beamed down too with me and Jim if your Vulcan hide hadn't been so ill."

"You, Doctor McCoy, are exceedingly paranoid about my health. I am not that ill."

Paranoid?! Oh... He was slipping us back into our familiar territory. Something safe like the usual arguing. Alright, fine. I'll bite. I grimaced and mustered up my best retort. "Spock! I said I will be the judge of that!"

The bosun's whistle cut me off. "_Kirk to Spock_."

He leaned over and flipped the switch. "Spock here."

"_I heard youve been relieved of duty. I can't find McCoy. So then what's happening with the--"_

"Dr. McCoy is with me, Captain," Spock said quickly.

_"Bones?_"

Glancing at Spock quizzically, I came up to the viewer so Jim could see me. "Here, Jim. Hey, Spock...uh...he has the flu."

"_Flu?! How serious?"_

"He's nearly over it. However, I do want to stay on board and monitor him to be on the safe side."

I thought I heard a cough from the captain but I wasn't sure. "_Bones! Stop being such a mother hen. Chapel can take care of him, you'll wear your communicator in case of an emergency. It's been six months since you've taken a leave. Be here at the beamdown point in five minutes, or else. Kirk out." _

The image of Jim's face down on Berengaria dissipated to a flat grey empty screen.

I immediately opened my mouth to snap at Spock but was interrupted by one word from the Vulcan: "Go."

_________________________________

END OF CHAPTER 1, Continued in Chapter 2...


	2. Chapter 2

Title: "The Runes" (chapter 2)

Author: T'Prillah

Series: TOS

Chapter 2 Pairing: S/Mc, Sc/f (implied)

Rating: M--explicit slash. [NC-17]

See Chapter 1 for notes, Disclaimer, warnings

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THE RUNES-CHAPTER 2

"...and now, my friend here," I motioned across the table. "This here is Montgomery Scott--"

"Uh--Scotty to ma friends--"

"Scotty to his friends," I finished. "And who might you be?"

The woman and her friend smiled and a strange grating sound came from their lips. The translator hanging at my hip, said: "_Demti'aleierea_, my name is…and she…_Alti'alstera_ is she…" the woman indicated in the direction of her companion, now nestled firmly next to Scotty. Scott took another drink and smiled at her, uncomfortably, it seemed to me.

I continued above the music: "Are you from this planet?"

"Who...us?"

"Yes, you!"

"No...not this planet."

I felt like I was pulling teeth-- the old nineteenth century way. "So where might you be from?!"

"Where are YOU from?" she purred back.

"Are you asking me? Or just repeating what I said?!" I shouted. "Well Scotty and I are both from Earth--!"

"Ooooooh Earth. We have never been there. It is nice, yes...?"

I laughed at the sweet way she said that. "Yeah it's very nice. So what planet are you two lovely ladies from?"

She seemed to ignore my question and ran a fingernail down my velour sleeve to play with the hair at my wrist. "You are very attractive man, very much, you are. Leo." She breathed very close to my face.

"Uh, actually, it's Leonard!"

She tilted her head questioningly in a gesture which reminded me of Spock.

"It's Leonard!" I repeated, louder, into her ear. "LENN--ARD!"

"Hmmmm, Leo!" The woman purred and giggled at me. "Delicious blue eyes..."

"Oh, well!" I blushed and lowered my head. Then I'd wondered if I'd heard her correctly. "Delicious?!" I asked, alarmed. "I've never heard my eyes described in precisely that way, but thanks!" I chuckled, mirroring Scotty's uncomfortable look.

She smiled, moved herself closer to me and ran her hand down my chest. While this was going on, I glanced over at the chief engineer who was by now getting a massage. Scotty now appeared to be highly inebriated. I raised an eyebrow and again shouted over the music. "Hey Scotty! I'm going to the toilets! I dearly hope they have some toilets in this dump! Behave yourself till I get back!"

Scotty didn't even look up. "Hey, Scotty!" I thumped my hand down on the table, littered with-- mostly Scotty's-- empty drink glasses.

Scotty looked up glassy eyed, from his massage, "Aye...I'll be right...here..."

"Alright Scotty!" I disentangled myself from the woman and drawled in my best southern gentleman's voice: "Excuse me, sweetheart."

I walked up to the bar and shouted to the bartender: "Toilets?!" He directed me with a bored point into the right direction.

I got to the relative quiet of the restroom facilities that appeared to be unisex and uni-whatever. I looked around, wide-eyed. _Never seen so many different ways of taking a piss, but infinite diversity in infinite combinations...I guess._' It was an odd place to be thinking about Surak's philophshy of IDIC, I supposed. Then I knew why I was thinking of Surak. Those damned pointy ears. It was my subconscious reminding me that needed to check up on Spock. I relieved myself, then started for the hand sterilizer but eventually changed my mind when I spotted a slug like creature apparently guarding it very closely...or making love to it..._'nice place Scotty picked for a quiet fucking drink..._' I mused.

In the relative quiet of the toilets, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to call the ship. I popped open my communicator. "McCoy to Enterprise."

"_Enterprise, Uhura here_."

"Hi babe, still on watch?"

"_Yes! Dr. McCoy, I hear some strange music...__where are you_?"

"You don't wanna know," I laughed. "Will you patch me through to Mr. Spock, please?"

There was a delay of a few seconds then: "_Spock here_."

"Hi, it's me."

"_Obviously. You are up early, Doctor_."

"Actually, I havent been to bed yet...but never mind. Just having a quiet drink. Hey, I'm calling to see how you're doing_._"

"_As you can hear, Im am sufficiently recovered_."

I sighed. Of course he was going to be difficult. "No more sneezing? Coughing? Vomiting? Are you really feeling better? Being as you are going back on duty in ten minutes. Youd better be and just not trying to hide it...or Ill have your Vulcan hide on medical report."

"_Doctor, I assure you. I will be sufficiently able to carry on with my duties. At 0400."_

"I'm warning you. Not a moment sooner, Spock."

"_Understood, Doctor. Spock out._"

I slammed my communicator shut with a satisfied nod.

As I walked out of the toilets I noticed that the music appeared to have been switched to a softer enchanting sound. That was more like it. Winding my way through the sea of people or creatures back to the table, I found the chief engineer's arms wrapped around the woman's neck, kissing her with most passionate French kiss I had ever witnessed. "Oh Jesus. Scotty! Hey, Scotty, come up for air, there. Scotty? How about another drink?" Scotty didn't pull away from the woman. "Hey, Scotty!" I watched the two of them for a few moments, then shrugged as the barmaid came up.

"What'll it be?" she asked.

"Uh, another single malt scotch for my friend over there, for me a bourbon and for the ladies here--"

"Saurian brandy," the woman next to me chimed in.

"You heard the lady," I ordered. The barmaid nodded and left.

"Oh you like Saurian Brandy do you?" I said to the woman next to me. "I like it too." She nestled closer to me, her arms caressing my chest. "Do you hail from Saurus by any chance?" I was still determined to find out where the hell she was from.

"No...Leo," she giggled into me ear. She pulled a ball of fluff from her pocket and stroked my cheek.

"It's Leonard, or Lenny," I insisted into her ear. "Just don't call me Leo. I hate that. So whatch'a got there?"

I could hear a purring noise as she stroked the ball of fluff close to my ear. The trilling nose was making me feel strangely calm, content, almost aroused.

"This is a Tribble," she announced, softly.

"A Tribble? Never heard of it. It's cute. What does it do?"

"It loves," she said.

"It loves?" I snickered. "That's it?" Then I found myself laughing hysterically. She giggled right on back at me. She suddenly leaned over and kissed me, halting my laughter. As her tongue slid into my mouth, her hand traveled down my thigh to rest on my groin. Her touch felt nice; sensual and I found myself letting her do it out of plain loneliness, out of a usual desire to be caressed and held. I'd gone a long time without sex between leaves and I found myself caving into anyone willing to show me affection. It was never the right person, it was just… anyone.

I was floating, probably due to all the drink. I absently noted that Scotty was similarly engaged right across from me. _This is going to be expensive'_, I thought, mildy.

"Okay sweetheart," I breathed to the woman as she stroked me. "How much?"

"For him?" The woman motioned over at Scotty. "Twenty credits for the massage, twenty-five for a blow job. Each. And since I like you so much, Ill take you back to my room in the back for a hundred."

I pulled the womans hand away from me and slipped out of her embrace. "Well, I'll have to say no. But thanks anyway." My rational mind was finally kicking in. "I think he and I should be going anyhow…"

I glanced over at Scotty, witnessed what was happening and looked away in disgust. _Would rather read a technical journal than take a shore-leave, my ass._' "Well," I said to her, "I guess you'll get your forty-five credits for him after all." I waited patiently then attempted to call out the engineer's attention once again. "Hey, Scotty! You're done man. Come on, let's go!"

"Ever made love, using a Tribble, Leo?" The woman pulled me and my attention back to her as she purred along with the Tribble's cooing. She stroked me on the face with the Tribble once again, then nibbled on my earlobe. I leaned into the sensation.

"What?" I chuckled, then laughed, shocked. I then found myself fading in and out. The room spun and I was unable to focus. There had to be some type of hallucinogen in these fluffy creatures. "Do what...?" I muttered, then giggled. "With a Tribble? How does that work?"

She pulled me close again, kissing me deeply. I responded hungrily. Her lips traveled across my cheek to my ear where she whispered something. I blanched as it registered in my brain. I pulled away, suddenly very, very sober. "Hey Scotty...I think it's time we were leaving...Scotty!"

It wasn't till I was dragging Scotty out and down the main thoroughfare that I'd realized I had been robbed. "I guess she got her hundred credits after all, and then some."

--------------

"Well, Spock," I grunted as I entered a empty bridge save for Spock sitting in the command seat and Scotty manning the helm. "I found out from who you contracted that damn illness of yours." I stood next to the command chair and slapped my hand down on the console for emphasis.

The look from the command seat was, again, one of pure innocence. He ought to patent that look. "What did you discover, Doctor?" he asked.

"Jim's the culprit," I whispered. "Sneaky son-of-a-bitch. That's why he had me meet him there. He knew if I'd saw how sick he was before he beamed down I wouldn't have let him go. I immediately sent the bastard back up here and confined him to his quarters."

"I noticed."

"Was he upset when he beamed aboard?"

"Extremely."

That made me grin, evilly. "Good. I'll be lucky if the Enterprise doesn't turn into a plague ship. Or that he doesn't infect the whole of Berengaria Seven with his flu virus."

"I am quite certain that Barengaria Seven has been exposed to much worse than influenza."

"Maybe, maybe not. The main city is kind of a sleaze pit, but you'll never know." I continued to whisper even though there was no-one else on the bridge besides Scotty. I was used to doing that with the junior officers normally around. It was a habit of mine, when Jim was away to gossip on the bridge with Scotty or Spock. Though the Vulcan wouldn't have called it gossiping. "So," I continued on, "I wound up spending the whole time with Scotty."

I bounced on my heels, expectantly till Spock felt obligated to ask me the next question. I knew he had a high level of curiosity. I also knew, that _he_ knew, humans seemed to have a psychological need to gloat about their shore-leave exploits. He didn't disappoint me.

"What did you and Mister Scott eventually get up to?"

"Well," I said. "It started out quietly but it got pretty wild and I ended up having to carry Scotty out of the damn bar. Didn't I Scotty?" I deliberately shouted over a little too loudly over at the helm. I couldn't help but smile wickedly at the groan from the chief engineer.

"Aye, I suppose so," came the soft acknowledgement from Scotty.

"How did you achieve that without assistance?" inquired Spock, dutably prompting me with an amazing attempt at feigning interest. He probably missed his calling as an actor.

"Never mind," I laughed. "Then...all the while we were there we were fending off green skinned prostitutes."

"Fending them off? You did not welcome the attention?" Spock checked his fingernails.

"What? From prostitutes? No!" I said hotly. Embarrassed. "What do you take me for?" I glared at him, then added as a joke, "Not at those prices anyway." Spock shot me such a pure look of incredulity that I burst out into laughter. Then I sobered at the thought. "She robbed me blind. I mean literally. She did. I realized it after we'd left the bar that all my credit chips were gone. I should have been prepared for that but somehow my defenses were down. I don't think they were Orions--what other aliens do we know have green skin, Spock?"

"Scarolites."

"Scarolites? The reptilian looking women? No..." I shook my head.

"Althenians." Spock offered helpfully to me as he gazed intently at the viewscreen. I could swear he was absolutely bored out of his skull.

"No...not them. Don't Althenians have antennae?"

"Affirmative."

"Well, these ladies didn't. Well, I don't know," I sighed loudly, then glanced towards the Engineer. "Scotty, what do you think they were?"

Scotty blanched as he turned around. "They had green skin? Ah...Dr. McCoy, ah dinna remember much."

"You got that right! Lucky for you, too. How's your head?" I smirked at Scotty holding his head then turned back to Spock. "Well, I guess it's not that imperative. It just drives me crazy sometimes when I can't pinpoint what species someone is."

"Did you not ask them?" asked Spock.

"I did, about twenty times! She wouldn't tell me."

"Could you not have surreptitiously pointed your scanner at them?"

"What, and had them detect that tell-tale whine? No Spock, that'd be rude. Even if they were prostitutes. The translator was working, however. Oh boy was it ever."

Scotty grimaced, shook his head and turned back to the helm.

Spock chewed on his bottom lip in absent thought. "I am afraid their point of origin shall continue to be a mystery for you."

The lift doors swooshed open at that particular moment and Lieutenant Sulu entered the Bridge. Spock and I looked up at him. "Mister Sulu," he said. "The next shore parties are cleared to beam down."

"That is," I interjected. "If nobody else is ill."

"Aye sir," Sulu said happily, "I'm next in line to go."

"Excellent, Mr. Sulu," I said. "Have a good time, just stay away from the L'aterre bar."

"Aye sir." He was back in the lift and gone before any of us could spin around.

As soon as Sulu left, Spock touched my arm. "Luftanzites."

"Hmmm?"

"Luftanzites, also, have green skin."

"Don't they have a breathing apparatus on the outside? And the females have three breasts?"

"Correct."

"No, they definitely werent Luftanzites." I scratched the stubble on my face in thought.

"Troyan?"

"Troyans have white hair. Spock. No, not Troyan."

"It would be helpful if you actually described the women to me."

"Well," I considered. "Besides the dark green skin, they each had one eye in the center of their forehead. One had red eyes, the other had purple eyes. They had breasts like a human female--well at least it appeared that way with their clothes on. Black hair and a pointed nose. Larger ears than humans. Delicately shaped hands. Beautiful."

"Beautiful?" I heard Scotty exclaim and I could swear he went pale. "With an eye in the center of their forehead?"

"Hey, Scotty," I snapped and reached over to tap his chair. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." I turned to Spock and teased, "I'll bet some people might even find those pointy ears attractive."

Spock raised an eyebrow in response. "My ears are highly functional in a desert environment."

"Yes I know that, but are they attractive?"

"I do not know. It is irrelevant."

"Who cares. We're talking about attractiveness here. Spock. Not relevancy. In fact I can't think of anybody, besides another Vulcan, who would find pointy ears attractive."

"The mother Horta found my ears attractive," Spock replied in all seriousness.

"Good for you, Spock. One creature out of billions. But, the mother Horta wasn't a humanoid."

"My mother is a human. Logically since she is married to my father, she must, also, find pointed ears attractive."

"Great. I'm so glad. Two. Out of billions of species. Want a gold star?"

"A gold star, Doctor?"

"Spock..." I sighed.

"Zezephens," stated Spock suddenly.

"They find pointed ears attractive?"

"Negative. That is the species of the women."

"Really?"

"Based on that description."

"I guess they could be. Hey," I smiled. triumphant. "Yeah! I think you could be right. Thanks! That's a load off my mind."

"I am pleased to be of assistance, Doctor."

I decided to finally let Spock get on with some work and turned to go. "Hey Spock. Stop by my quarters later. I wanted to get your opinion about a Vulcan object I bought at a shop down on Berengaria."

"A Vulcan object?" That perked his ears up.

"I'll tell you more later. I'm going down to the mess to get some coffee." I walked towards the lift.

"Wait, Doctor. I am off watch in seventy-five seconds. I shall join you." Oh now that I had piqued his curiosity he wouldn't leave me alone.

"Spock. I'll just meet you in my quarters."

"I will be with you momentarily, Doctor. Hold the lift."

The lift doors opened, Yeoman Janice Rand, and Spock's conn relief: Lieutenant Uhura sauntered out. As I nodded an acknowledgement to the both of them I noticed, idly, that Uhura had a different pair of earrings on. Nothing gets past me.

"Hold the lift, Doctor," Spock called at again. I waited very impatiently as Spock's attempt to get up was interrupted by Yeoman Rand handing him a report to sign. Signing it with a flourish, he attempted to hand it back to her, but before he could it slipped out of his hands and clattered to the floor.

Spock and the yeoman both grabbed for it and suddenly bumped heads. Hard.

"Spock! Janice!" I gasped as I ran back to them. "Are you two alright?"

Spock was still staring at Rand, apparently quite taken aback. "Please forgive my clumsiness, Yeoman."

"It was my mistake, sir. Sorry sir," she managed back at him. In a daze, she finally knelt down to retrieve it.

I watched the both of them with a puzzled stare till the bosun's whistle sounded. "_Sickbay to Dr. McCoy_."

Spock popped the button for me as I rejoined the Vulcan down at the center seat. "McCoy here. What is it?"

"_You are urgently needed in Sickbay, Doctor. Emergency_"

"Alright, be there in a few minutes. McCoy out." I studied Spock, then Yeoman Rand, perturbed. Spock making a mistake like that was highly unusual. "Spock? Janice? Are you sure you two are alright?"

------------

"Oww." In the bathroom in my quarters, I grimaced, toothbrush in mouth. Was this a cavity on my number two molar? Dammit…that's all I need. I pulled down my lip with a finger and glared closely at my gums in the mirror, straining to get a closer look. The sealant was supposed to nullify any cavities whatsoever; I must have gotten a microscopic crack in it somehow. _Great_. I resumed carefully brushing till the door chime sounded.

Spitting the toothpaste out, I yelled: "Come!"

Spock strode in, didn't see me right away till I called out, "I'm in here!"

"I fail to understand why you perform such an inefficient activity as physically brushing your teeth with toothpaste," Spock observed as he walked up next to me in the bathroom.

"Because I like the taste of mint. How's your teeth?"

"My teeth?"

"Yeah. Can you believe I actually have a cavity?"

"Fascinating. Perhaps from now on you will use the dental-plaser."

"I despise that thing." I finished up and ushered the Vulcan into my office chamber. "I'm dying to know what this is. Do me a favor. I need you to translate this lovely object for me." I excitedly held up a lush, purple velvet bag containing some translucent stones. I dumped a few of them into Spock's outstretched hand. The stones were stunningly beautiful. Topped very majestically by raised gilt writing.

"They appear to be runes," I continued on as Spock studied them. "But look at this," I observed as I picked one up. As I did, the stone shimmered in multi-colors, almost as if it was responding to my touch. "They have Vulcan lettering on them, but nothing I recognize. I also came up with nothing during my search in the ship's linguistic files. Fascinating, arent they?"

Spock cocked an unappreciative eyebrow at my use of the word fascinating'. "I was not aware that you recognized Vulcan writing." He picked up a stone from his palm and examined it closely. "This is an ancient Vulcan dialect known as…" he raised an eyebrow. "_FthinraKathi_. Interesting. These runes are extremely old and valuable. An article of this type would usually be housed in a museum. They are mostly likely contraband. They have to be stolen."

"I guess I shouldn't be so surprised."

"Where did you say you acquired these stones from?"

"A...shop, next door to one I sometimes frequent, dealing in alien art and artifacts. Now," I held up my hand, "I know what you're thinking, but, normally I only browse. But these stones looked so enchanting I thought I'd buy them. Then I went to pick up a supply of Romulan Ale, but would you believe the price was tripled? Damn border ships are having a hard time delivering--"

"Romulan ale, is also highly illegal, doctor," admonished Spock, quite unnecessarily, as if I didnt know.

"I use it for medicinal purposes only." I waved off his comment. I was too interested in the stones to argue. "So, can you read them?" I asked him, excitedly.

Spock continued to closely study one of the stones. "Where did you say you got these?"

"From a shop on Berengaria. I'm not disclosing the name of it to you, so you can go have it shut down. Can you read them?"

"Affirmative." Spock closed his fingers over the stone; his eyes growing distant.

"Well?"

He regarded the stone for a while longer, then spoke hesitantly, "Do you...really wish me to read these stones?"

"No Spock. I wish you to go on teasing me." I rolled my eyes. "Just humor me and tell me what they say."

Spock held up the parchment that accompanied them. "As a child, I heard Vulcan legends about artifacts such as these and about the _FthinraKathir_."

He was stalling. I took a step closer to him. "What does the parchment say?" I asked evenly. "How about reading it? Before I get angry."

Spock hesitated, then gave in and studied the parchment. He read it aloud to me in a slightly stilted Vulcan dialect, pausing every once in awhile to decifer it then read aloud some more. After he'd come to a stopping point he squinted his eyes then nodded. "My suspicion is correct," he said.

_Oh, Jesus_. I stepped even closer to him and placed my hands on his arms. "About what? Come on, Spock! What are your suspicions correct about, are they runes or not?! What the devil are they?"

Spock took a deep breath. "These are runes. They function as a set," he sighed, "of instructions." Spock oddly seemed to have a difficult time getting the last of that out. Which piqued my curiosity even more.

"And?" I shook him as I urged him to continue. "They are a set of instructions for what?"

Spock wouldnt look at me. "Instructions for...lovers."

I dropped my hands. "What?"

"These are...ancient Vulcan...sexual aids."

"Ancient Vulcan sexual aids? Really?" I laughed. "That's interesting. What do they do, foretell with whom a Vulcan is going to be bonded to?" I snickered at that, then suddenly sobered. "No thats not it. Suppose you tell me what they're really for?"

"They are indeed...for sexual activity. To facilitate intercourse, for new bondmates or...even unbonded lovers. These date from long before Surak. There is more," Spock read the last of the parchment, then stopped. He wore an uncharastically shocked expression.

"What Spock? What is it?"

Spock did not answer me, but merely blinked down at the parchment in his hands.

"Spock?"

"These runes also contain within them an ancient curse," he finally replied.

"A curse?" My mind became electric with interest. "What do you mean? There is no such thing as a curse, Spock. Come on."

"What ever you believe, Doctor, this parchment insists that whoever has traded money for these stones, is cursed until they lift it."

"But that's me. I traded money for them."

"Very perceptive, Doctor."

"I'm cursed? I bought ancient Vulcan runes and now I'm cursed?" I was far too intrigued for Spock's comfort. Spock shifted uncomfortably which spurred me on, anything to goad him. But, frankly I was curious about this. "I suppose you mean to tell me that to lift the curse I have to have sex."

"Affirmative."

"You're sure these are Vulcan? It doesn't seem logical."

Spock shook his head. "The _FthinraKathir_ did not embrace the concept of Logic. Rather, they were a sensual culture. Much of their art, literature and music was based on love and sex. _FthinraKathir_ literally means: 'forest people'; they originated in the cooler forested areas of Vulcan."

"There are forested areas of Vulcan?"

"Affirmative. However, the areas are much smaller, now."

"Makes a change from the desert, I guess. I wouldn't mind visiting those forests, sometime. I bet they're beautiful," I said, idly. He said nothing, but merely stared at me. I shifted in the intense gaze of his. "Uh...so...tell me more about this ancient civilization."

"The _FthinraKathir_ were an extremely peaceful people, unusual in the violent, ancient times. They maintained traditions steeped in folklore and mythology. They lived, undisturbed for many thousands of years until they were annihilated by the warlike _vLauDuKauri. _Every last _FthinraKathi_ man, woman and child was brutally murdered till the entire civilization was eradicated from Vulcan. Every once in a while we discover a tradition or object that survived the_ vLauDuKauri. _The language and some texts survived solely due to the sacrifice of an ancient _FthinraKathi _priestess. It is my belief that our ritualistic tactile nature in contemporary times comes straight from this culture. These runes come directly from their mating practices."

"Fascinating," I said, using that word again. I smiled in an attempt to soothe Spock. He looked profoundly, strangely uncomfortable. "Well, I suppose this isn't so bad. I can break the curse with anyone I want? I just have to find any woman who's willing, right?"

"Negative," Spock replied.

Now it was my turn to become uncomfortable. "Alright. Who does it HAVE to be with? A Vulcan?"

He folded his arms. "I am afraid, Doctor, that it distinctly states: with whomever you touch after you hear the first word on the parchment read aloud'. Or the next person you touch after you yourself have read it."

"But that's you," I stammered, "I touched you, on the arms, after you started reading it aloud."

"That is correct, Doctor," said Spock.

"Oh you are kidding me." I couldn't help but laugh at this. "You must have translated it incorrectly."

"I did not. I am deadly accurate in my translation."

"Are absolutely sure?"

The brown eyes looked directly into mine. "I am absolutely positive."

"I have to have sex...with you?" I said that a little too loudly as I felt myself go slightly faint. "But...how are _you_ going to be able to have sex..."

"I do have genitalia identical to a human," he replied, the corners of his mouth turned up in a half-smile.

"I know that! Smart-ass! I mean--uh-- you can't get _aroused_--you arent in _pon farr_ anymore." I prided myself on now knowing a little something about the Vulcan mating ritual as private as _pon farr_. I would have never known about it but we had just experienced it, a month ago, with Spock. Aparently never spoken of to outworlders, he reluctantly opened up to me and Jim about it (he really had no choice), then invited us to his ill fated wedding. Before we managed to get him to Vulcan, he became extremely aggressive, sexually predatory and illogical; his adrenalin level going off the scale. We very nearly lost him. Is that what was going to happen to him again? Thanks to me?

"I do not need to be in _pon farr _to have sex, Doctor," he said quietly. "_Pon farr _is merely an insurance that I reproduce."

"Oh," I said again, not really sure of what to say. Not really sure if I wanted this to happen. "I don't know if I can go though with this..."

As I felt the blood drain out of my face the more I thought about it, Spock continued instructing me: "There are fifteen runes in this bag. We choose one stone at a time per standard day. We follow the sexual instruction on the stone we have chosen or else--"

"Or else what?"

"Or else, we suffer the consequences."

I laughed even more hysterically. Spock merely raised an eyebrow in response. "What kind of consequences?" I said skeptically. "Does it specify? This is ridiculous!"

"It does not specify. How ever ridiculous it might seem. It is of Vulcan legend."

"You don't believe in the curse, do you?"

"Curses are illogical."

I got up and paced back and forth. "That's not helpful. This is crazy. Forget it. I'm not having sex with you. Nothing untoward will happen if we fail to use them. Right?"

"You are probably correct."

"Look. It's nothing personal Spock, but I'm just not into men. Forget it. I'm getting rid of these things. Here give them to me."

I motioned for Spock to hand me the stones so I could put them into a box to return them promptly to Vulcan.

He hesitated, then moved to hand them to me. But, as he did so, he lost his balance, suddenly winding up sprawled on the deck.

"Spock?" I immediately offered my hand to assist him.

"I am undamaged, Doctor." He waved off my hand as he scrambled up rather ungracefully.

"Spock, that's unlike you to trip and fall!"

"I am undamaged," Spock said quickly.

"I think you should come down to sickbay so I can look you over."

"Unnecessary--"

"_Sickbay to Dr. McCoy."_

I walked over to snap the viewer on. "Yeah, what is it?"

_"Emergency, Doctor. Your immediate presence is required."_

"Alright, I'll be there in five minutes." I snapped the viewer off and glanced at Spock. "I'll continue this discussion, later. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I am fine. Doctor may I keep these?" he inquired of me before I had the chance to stalk out of the doors.

"Certainly. You can do what you like with them." I nodded to the Vulcan and stepped out.

"Analyze them. Worship them. Return them to the museum. Just get them out of my sight. Please."

--------------

Spock looked on as I stood at a sickbay lab table, tidying up a mess that had been sitting around for few days. My orderlies were all out of commission. "When are we finally leaving orbit?" I asked.

"We are due to remain in orbit around Berengaria for another ten standard days to effect sudden necessary repairs."

"Oh. I've got fifty-six more crewmen who have contracted this particular strain of influenza. Jim took a turn for the worse. I finally was able to produce a vaccine for it and not a moment too soon. Distributing it to the crew has been a nightmare; I have no staff, besides Nurse Burke; poor girl. The line for inoculations was backed up to the turbo lift. Chapel has also been under the weather," I grumbled as I rattled off my list of complaints to him. "If you all would have just taken care of yourselves and stop wearing your defenses down this type of thing wouldn't have happened."

"You are indeed correct, an epidemic is apparently forming." Spock walked over to the other side of the lab as he continued talking. "It would seem be the case that--" He was interrupted by a sound of broken glass and a cry out from me! "McCoy!" Spock rushed over.

The bottle had slip from my grasp and hit the table, shattering. The shards caught my left hand. I instinctively grabbed my hand with my right burning both with acid. Simultaneously, the acid had flew up and hit me squarely in the eyes. "Don't touch me...!" I managed to gasp out. "...acid...!"

Spock ignored my command and pulled me to the nearby sink, thrusting my face underneath the water and repeatedly rinsed my eyes and hands.

"Nurse Burke!" I heard him shout. He sounded as if he was light-years away from me.

I groaned in pain as Spock held onto me. As Spock continued rinsing my eyes, I snapped from underneath the water, "Call… someone... to clean up this broken glass… and make sure… they wear gloves, dammit!"

I collapsed in Spock's arms.

______________________

END OF CHAPTER 2...on to chapter three


	3. Chapter 3

Title: "The Runes" (chapter 3)

Author: T'Prillah (previously posted on the S/Mc Haven under a different name)

Series: TOS

Pairing: S/Mc, Sc/f (implied)

Rating: M--explicit slash. (If you are under 18, or not into male/male then read elsewhere.)

Summary: McCoy buys some cursed love runes while on shore leave. In order the break the curse he has to have sex. But with who?

Author's Note: Written in First person, McCoy's POV. Takes place about a month after "Amok Time". Now in chapters. May differ slightly than the haven version.

Acknowledgements: Thank you to M. for the feedback and the suggestions. The Vulcan language and culture comes straight from the Vulcan Language Institute. Also, acknowledgements to "Spock's World", and "The Vulcan Academy Murders"

Feedback: yes please.

Disclaimer: STAR TREK is owned by Paramount, CBS, the old Desilu studios, Viacom, CBS. I make absolutely no money from this story.

* * *

THE RUNES-CHAPTER 3

* * *

_Famine. I speak the sacred word of the plight, aloud as I look up into the sky. The watcher: T'khut, rises higher and higher. It is nearly time. May the light of T'khut watch over me this night and all other nights. I brush my hair and gaze into my looking glass. My blue eyes shine brightly in the watcher's light. My wedding present…the gift of the stones…lays nearby, ready to present to my groom at the appointed place. _

_Tonight is my binding to Llarien'Solak, prince of the v'LauDuKharir. My original intended, died shortly after our child bond at year seven and left me without a mate. My house has now betrothed me to be bound to this one. It is hoped, this union will result in a truce with the v'LauDuKhari. We will trade food and supplies. Then, my people, the F'thinraKathir will suffer the plight of famine no more… _

* * *

"Mmmmph," I tentatively opened my eyes and found myself laying on the sickbay biobed. I just could make out a blurry Spock standing over me. "How long…?"

"You have been out: thirty point two minutes." He sat down at my bedside.

I groaned. My entire body ached. My eyes felt like they had been scratched in a million places. I decided to close them again and keep them like that for the time being. I itched horribly, but my fingers were so bandaged up I couldn't scratch it. This synthetic skin Nurse Burke had placed on my wrist and hand made me want to climb the walls…

… or punch the nearest Vulcan who went on about an ancient curse.

I sat up on my elbows, felt the cold hit me, rubbed my bare feet together and realized that under the sickbay sheet; I was clad only in my fleet issue underpants. "Who took my uniform off?"

"I did. My apologies, Doctor. I was forced to rinse you off in the sickbay shower."

"Oh…Aren't you supposed to be on the bridge, Spock?"

"Lieutenant Uhura has the watch this shift. I am off duty."

"How convenient," I said, weakly. I felt warm fingers open up one of my eyes, put some eye drops in, then repeat the action with the other eye. I felt the heat of a palm graze my lips. As the soothing eye drops coated my eyes they felt better but I still kept them closed. The hand lingered on my face, the touch felt nice, comforting…though I was awkwardly aware that the hand belonged to Spock. "You don't have anything else to do, besides bother me?" I murmured, as gruffly as I could muster but it came out only half-heartedly. "No reports to catch up on?"

"Negative." He was still touching my face.

"Want to work on some of mine?" I snorted. After a protracted silence, I noted, "I bet I ruined my lab table."

"The acid damaged a large area on the left side."

"That's just wonderful," I sighed.

"You were nearly blinded." A fingertip traced my eyebrow.

"Hey! Why the hell do you care so damn much?" I lashed out rather too harshly. His hand lingered still on my face. The warmth of his fingertips felt so good that I softened my tone. "Sorry," I said. "Of course you care. You always do." I paused for a moment. Then blurted out, "You always have cared about me. Haven't you. I just never…have…given you any credit for it."

Silence from him. Damn it. What the hell was I doing? I open my big mouth to tell him how I really feel and it makes everything worse. I felt the deliciously warm hand leave my face. Damn.

I cleared my throat. "Listen, I only…uh… had a little accident because, Im very, very tired. I haven't gotten any sleep lately. Too much excitement going on to sleep. And when human's go without sleep we make mistakes. Ive worked with acid thousands of times. It was simply pure coincidence that something happened."

"You still believe that it is coincidence?" he said.

I barked out a half exhausted half hysterical noise that caught the Vulcan off guard. "Oh come on, Spock. You're buying into some ancient mumbo jumbo. It's crazy. You said so yourself, curses are illogical." I let my head loll back onto the biobed.

"I did. However, do you not find it unusual, the amount of freak accidents and sudden onsets of illness that have occurred as of late?"

"Dammit, we've had epidemics on board before. I still say, coincidence. Mr. Spock." I held up my wrists to my eye level and confirmed that something wasn't quite right. "Where's Lia Burke? I need her to fix this, the skin is too tight."

"She did not treat your chemical burns. I did so myself," he replied.

I sighed. "It can't get any worse. Now you're running around practicing medicine without a license." He simply regarded me with an amused glint in his eye.

"Alright…" I said begrudgingly. "Thank you for taking care of me. Especially for throwing me into the shower." Eyeing his still damp hair, I grumbled, "Now it'll probably be my luck you'll come down with hypothermia."

"I can assist you in the sickbay today, if need be," he offered.

"No…I'll be fine." I smiled. "Really, Spock. Just help me up."

"Are you certain you are--"

"Yes!" I insisted.

He reached over to raise me to sitting position and handed me a complete uniform set and boots. After I dressed, with his help, of course, I motioned over by a clean towel for him to pick up. "Dry your hair," I ordered.

I walked over to a mirror to check out my burning eyes. "_Jesus_! You weren't kidding!" The burns covered my temples too. "I guess I _was_ nearly blinded."

He stood close behind me, drying his hair and saying quietly, "Doctor. What is your decision… regarding the runes?"

"You haven't sent them to Vulcan yet?"

"No."

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

"_Doctor_." The way he'd said that, made my hair stand up on end.

I spun around to face him. "You know what Spock? If I didn't know you better, I'd say that--" I swallowed hard. "-- you _want_ us to use those runes. Why?"

He took on the expression of a stone, and after a long silence, he finally, hesitantly replied, "I have come to the logical conclusion that using them…might be… necessary to… alleviate the situation."

"Necessary to alleviate the situation? Are you serious? Well... that's damned romantic of you." I snickered to cover up my nervousness. He raised an eyebrow. The opposite to his usual one. "Your mind certainly is made up," I noted. "You're determined to use them. Do they fascinate you?" I hissed. Now, I didn't care if I said something wrong. "I think it's a turn on for you. Ancient Vulcan sex." I leaned over, put my mouth right against his ear and whispered: "Isn't that right?"

He pulled his ear away from me, but kept his face close by. "My concern is merely about the welfare of this ship," he quietly insisted. "Is that not also, your concern?"

"Yes…but…" I darted my eyes back and forth. "I'm not going to have sex with you," I whispered. "I can't." He was about to respond, when we both heard someone come into the ward. "It's time for me to get back to work."

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 3


	4. Chapter 4

Title: "The Runes" (chapter 4)

Author: T'Prillah (previously posted on the S/Mc Haven under a different name)

Series: TOS

Pairing: S/Mc, Sc/f (implied)

Rating: M--explicit slash. (If you are under 18, or not into male/male then read elsewhere.)

Summary: McCoy buys some cursed love runes while on shore leave. In order the break the curse he has to have sex. But with who?

Author's Note: Written in First person, McCoy's POV. Takes place about a month after "Amok Time". Now in chapters. May differ slightly than the haven version.

Acknowledgements: Thank you to M. for the feedback and the suggestions. The Vulcan language and culture comes straight from the Vulcan Language Institute. Also, acknowledgements to "Spock's World", and "The Vulcan Academy Murders"

Feedback: yes please.

Disclaimer: STAR TREK is owned by Paramount, CBS, the old Desilu studios, Viacom, CBS. I make absolutely no money from this story.

* * *

THE RUNES-CHAPTER 4

* * *

_Personal log Stardate 3712.20. Forty seven more crewpersons suffered minor to moderate injuries during the last couple of days. Everyone who has come into contact with me, appears to have been affected in some way. I'm started to get paranoid. I've become afraid to associate with anyone, lest they be injured or become ill. Twelve more came down with influenza which is now ravaging throughout the ship as fast as I can inoculate people, though First Officer Spock has been a big help in that area. Three crewmen are suffering from food poisoning due to a miscalibration of the food reconsitutor. Our Mess- tech suffered second degree burns while fixing the system. _

_I lost a week's worth of my medical log entries due to an error in this computer, or perhaps I accidentally erased them…I don't know. Commander Giotto chipped his front tooth when the doors to his quarters failed to open. Fixing his tooth is now my problem since Doctor Gulley, our new ship's dentist, was also stricken with food poisoning. Damn kid just signed on board a week ago and is already sick. _

* * *

I sighed down at Spock, our latest casualty, now laying on the bio-bed as I gently placed the hybrid Neu-skin on his hand. He'd received second degree burns doing routine repairs on his scanner. I'd already warned him when he'd first come in, not a goddamned word about the curse. And he'd kept quiet. Very quiet.

I was so exhausted taking care of all these calls that I was nearly seeing double. After this I planned to make myself a Red-Eye, if that damned food processor can make a half way decent one up.

"Well, what do you know?" I exclaimed as I grinned at Spock. "This hybrid skin I made up is working like a charm!"

I suddenly looked down at the Vulcan's hands and scowled. "Guess I spoke too soon."

* * *

"Doctor McCoy?" It was Ensign Chekov, coming into sickbay a little contritely I had to admit. Bet he has an STD.

"Yes, what can I do for you, Chekov?"

"Uh," he stammered and looked around him. "I--uh--am--it burns, when I urinate."

I passed the scanner over him and smirked. Even in our century, they haven't been able to eradicate all the strains of Gonorrhea. "Was it that old girlfriend of yours? Or someone on board ship?"

"It was a prostitute from Berengaria," he admitted sheepishly.

"Oh…Jesus…wonder who else has picked it up, then." They'll be streaming in by the week end, when they finally can't stand the pain. "Don't worry Pavel," I said, as I made up an antibiotic hypo. "This is a mild strain. This will clear right up."

He grinned. "Thank you!"

I smiled back knowingly. "See you in three months, Chekov."

* * *

"Doctor McCoy?"

I jerked up from my desk. I'd been dozing off. "Hmmm?"

"The strangest thing has happened," Lieutenant Uhura said as she walked over to me. "I've been wearing earrings since I was a baby, but for some reason…look at this." She showed me her earlobe.

"Ohhh," I smiled as I examined her. "It's a little infected. Nothing to worry about. I'll take care of it right now."

She followed me into the dispensary, where she watched me make up an antibiotic hypo.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Doctor," she said. "You look absolutely exhausted."

"Its okay," I said. I checked that hypo, twice, then again, then I checked it once more to make certain of the dosage, and that it actually _was_ an antibiotic. I couldn't be too careful. Then gently I pressed it against her arm. "There. Should be better in about an hour."

"I'm so glad, Doctor McCoy. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," I said sleepily as I walked her back into my office. I sat down heavily onto my chair and leaned my head back.

"Do you have to stay here on duty all night?" she asked me.

"Yeah…" I said softly. "I'm trying to finish up these reports. But…I suppose I can… lay down in the ward for awhile."

"Why don't I walk you over there?" she suggested.

"Alright," I said numbly. She took my arm and led me out of my office and over to one of the beds. "Tell me a bedtime story," I joked as I lay down.

"I would," she laughed. "Except I have to get back up to the bridge. I was only supposed to be gone for five minutes."

"The night's getting worse and worse every minute." I muttered. "Who's up there on watch?"

"Mister Spock."

"You have to work the third shift?"

"Yes, I'm covering for Lieutentant Renna, she was injured by the communications earpiece discharging into her ear, remember Doctor?"

"Yeah, of course I remember. Well you'd probably best be getting back. I'll be right here if you need me."

She gently kissed me, on the forehead, in an endearing way that made me smile. Then, she left.

I lay there on the sickbay bed for a few minutes and found…that I couldn't sleep. I was absolutely exhausted, but I couldn't shut my mind off enough to sleep. It just kept on running like it had for the past three days whenever I had a quiet moment… _I have come to the logical conclusion that using them…might be… necessary to… alleviate the situation. Necessary to alleviate the situation? Well, that's damned romantic of you. Your mind certainly is made up. You're determined to use them. Do they fascinate you? I think it's a turn on for you. Ancient Vulcan sex. Isn't that right? My concern is merely about the welfare of this ship. Is that not also, your concern? Yes…but…I'm not going to have sex with you…. _"Shut up!" I said aloud. I opened my eyes. "Lights to ten percent!" the sickbay lights dimmed obligingly.

Then closed my eyes again. _It certainly was tempting. I was getting tired of all this activity in the sickbay. All I had to do was have sex with Spock. Easy. He's seems so damned willing too. I don't know…maybe I'm being selfish. Maybe he's right. Maybe it would solve all the bad luck we've been having…. who knows… the sex might be fantastic. You might really enjoy it. Sex is sex, right? No matter who it's with. You haven't had sex in a long time McCoy… It's not like you have to cut off a limb or give up your firstborn….but it would be like having sex with a fucking computer…who wants that? _"Shut up!" I shouted again.

A drop of saurian brandy would relax me. I knew what else would relax me, but I wasn't doing that in the sickbay. I hopped off the bed and staggered back into my office. I reached over to the ledge next to my desk where I normally kept the bottle for the times Jim came by to talk.

I found that I'd actually locked the bottle in the cabinet this time.

Okay, that problem was easy to solve. Key.

Key.

Where in the hell was the damn key?

I looked about my office, slowly at first, then frantically. "Where the hell is it?" I snapped out loud. I was interrupted by the bosun's whistle. I dearly wanted to rip out that viewer and throw it across the room. I punched the button with my fist. "_What_?" I snapped, throwing all decorum out the window and not bothering to ask why they called. I knew why.

"_Bridge to Doctor McCoy._" It was Spock.

Oh gods…"What happened?"

"_I was enquiring as to Lieutenant Uhura's whereabouts_."

"She should be on her way, Spock. Unless somethings happened to her--" My heart lurched. Oh no…

"_Ah…Here she is now. Thank you, Doctor_."

"Spock! You are going to give me a goddamn heart attack! McCoy out!"

* * *

"Bones!" Kirk jumped a mile in his bunk when I'd entered, unannounced. "Ever heard of signaling?"

"Chief Medical officer's prerogative. I don't have to," I said smugly, then innocently. "Why? Was I interrupting something?"

Then I realized I was. "Oh for Chrissakes, Jim!"

"Oh, like youve never done it. I did have the privacy lock on. Bones."

"Well, how the hell was I supposed to know what you were doing?"

"Maybe you should have signaled first."

"I was coming in to check on your illness status. Captain! And I can see that youre now doing just fine. And that you're a healthy thirty-five year old male."

"Bones. Cert me fit for duty. Im over the flu. And get the hell out."

"Alright, fine. I pronounce you fit. Congratulations. Boy am I glad somebody's feeling better around here. Ill leave you to it, then. Have fun," I breezed cheerily. "Have a good rest of the day, Jim."

"Bye…Bones."

* * *

_I handed the wedding gift to my new husband. The v'Faul or the stones; newly carved by my grandmother, the priestess, from the tree of old. "Thee may use these with me at thy pleasure", I said. _

_"It will be a pleasure" he said. He regarded me with approval. His delicate pointed ear, the ear of the desert dweller, looked elegant in the light of T'khut. He approached me in our bedchamber._

* * *

With about ten minutes to spare (till I had to return to the sickbay), I leaned my head back under the water spray in the shower in my quarters. It felt so good to wash off the grime of the past couple of days. I was aware of the fact that I probably needed freshening up, when I noticed other officers in the officer's mess moving slightly away from me. Okay so I stank like sweat. They would too, if they had my job. I knew without even looking in the mirror that I looked like something the cat dragged in. Well, I'm a doctor, not a model.

I studied my hands; I wasn't eating enough. Just living on coffee, for the past couple of weeks. My fingers were getting bonier.

I touched my beautiful ruby pinky ring, that I'd gotten when I'd married Jocelyn. I noticed that it was now loose enough to be able to be worn on my ring finger. I could switch it over so it would be more secure, but that would be illogical, wouldn't it. _You're not married to her anymore, McCoy. She's with someone else._

In an attempt to stifle the encroaching melancholy, I reached for the soap and concentrated on lathering up my body.

But, before I could react, my ring slid off my pinky and felt onto the floor of the shower. I dived down to fetch it, shampoo stinging my eyes and dripping everywhere. "No!"

The pull of the drainage system of the shower, that so efficiently drained the water with minimum of waste, efficiently sucked my beloved ruby ring down into it.

I knelt down, stuck my fingers into the drainage system, trying desperately to get it out.

But…It was long gone. Just like Jocelyn.

"_No_…"

* * *

The doors to Spock's quarters swooshed open sans chime or warning as I rushed unceremoniously through them.

I'd managed to startle him once again; he watched me wide-eyed as I ran forward and pushed against him. He was kneeling, wearing his black Vulcan robe, obviously about to begin meditation, but I didn't care. The momentum of my body pushed the both of us back till Spock fell back against the bulkhead.

Determined, I reached out and roughly pulled Spock to me by the scruff of the neck, ready to pull him into a kiss.

"Wait." Spock turned his head before my lips actually made contact.

"What is it?" I gasped. "Come on, lets get on with it."

Spock, body still leaning against the bulkhead, held tightly in my embrace, said smugly, "Too many incidents for your liking?"

"_Ecce signum_," I said with a shrug and a grimace. "Jim's--uh-- finally fit for duty, but the incidents are getting more and more serious. Ive spent all day tending to Mister Leslies broken back. Someone is going to wind up getting killed."

"Indeed," Spock replied. "The warp drive is now mysteriously non-functional."

"I know. Poor Scotty." I nodded grimly. "We'd better get started."

"Indeed," Spock agreed. "However, before proceeding hastily, perhaps you should release me so that I may read the inscription on the first stone."

"Oh…" With an embarrassed snort I released him and stood up. "Sorry."

As I had hastily retreated I noticed that there was an almost smile that had formed on the Vulcans lips. I studied his face in disbelief. It was gone now, back to normal but for an instant there had appeared in the first officer's eyes what seemed to be a lustful glimmer. Spock had seemed like he enjoyed my embrace…

He stood up, and faced me.

"Well," I gulped, uneasily. "What precisely does the instructions say we are supposed to do?"

"First, this." He walked up to a decoration hanging on the bulkhead wall next to his bed, and calmly pulled off a ceremonial dagger.

"Ostentatious, those damn ancient Vulcans…" I snickered as I watched him.

"There is a similar ritual for contemporary Vulcans, known as Blood Meditation", Spock explained. "However, that ritual is quite rare, and I have never attempted it."

He turned around to regard me with all seriousness. "Lights," he called out to the computer. The light in the cabin blinked out to darkness, leaving only the illumination of the firepot. In the red light illuminating the overheated bedchamber, the shadows accentuating his angular face and part of a pointed ear, Spock suddenly appeared to be the devil himself.

With eyes trained on mine, he swiftly pointed the blade down. He sliced down deeply into his own palm, leaving a trail of green blood.

He reached for my hand.

I backed away from him. "Hey, Im a surgeon, I have to use these hands…" At Spock's intense glare I caved in, "alright… alright." I let Spock take hold of my hand, then braced myself for the inevitable pain. Pulling my right hand flat, Spock neatly sliced a clean deep line into my palm. "That didn't hurt at all." I realized, shocked. I watched with fascination as my own blood, appearing black in this red light, flowed freely out of the deep cut.

"Now. Choose a stone, with your left hand." Spock held out the bag.

"Oh gods. Do we have to keep cutting ourselves every time we pick a stone?"

"Only the first time."

With a skeptical glare, I dove my uninjured hand into the velvet bag, picked out a stone and handed it over to the Vulcan. As I waited patiently for him to read it, I felt the blood from my cut right palm dripping onto the deck.

After looking at the stone for what seemed to be a an eternity, Spock grabbed my bleeding hand with his own. "Hurry up Spock," I gasped as he did so. "I'm losing a lot of blood."

"Our blood mixes. We now have entered into a blood oath to complete the cycle," Spock murmured then released my hand.

"Aren't we taking this parlor game a little too seriously?" Sweat was pouring down my face in rivers. And I pressed on my palm, now stained with green and red blood. I couldn't stop the bleeding. "Hurry up…"

"Are you aware that some of the ancient Vulcan's possessed iron based blood, Doctor?"

I kept trying to stem the bleeding but it kept coming, running down my wrist. I was definitely going to pass out now, I was lightheaded. "Did they?" I said softly.

I swayed and he caught me.

"Iron based?" I asked softly in his arms. "The _FthinraKathir_. They had red blood?"

"Affirmative."

"The ones who resided in the forests," I murmured.

He raised his eyebrow. "You have been paying attention."

"Hurry up…and read the stone," I gasped. I was becoming numb. He pushed me into his chair, pressed a cloth to my palm, putting pressure on it to stop the bleeding. "How's your hand, Spock?" My tongue felt too thick to be able to form words.

"My bleeding has already ceased."

"Good…now hurry up and read the damn stone."

The stone in his hand, he studied it. "Patience Doctor, this is an ancient dialect, I must translate the symbol perfectly. Which will take me a few moments. It is unfamiliar."

"Come on, the ship might blow up in the mean time!" I insisted.

Spock finally looked up at me. "This one says: '_Mhanndor'_.

"Sex? That means have sex?"

"Drink," he corrected. "_Mhann_ is the noun 'drink' _Mhanndor_ is the verb to drink."

"I see. Drink… what?" I couldnt help myself. "Blood?"

Spock shook his head. "Wine, Doctor."

"Oh," I said, with relief. "That doesn't sound so bad," I grinned. "I could definitely use some right now."

He got two glasses, poured from a bottle of Vulcan wine into both of them. He set my glass down in front of me. I reached to grab it off the desk like I usually did when he offered me something to drink.

Only… this time he stopped me by putting his hand into mine.

"What are you doing?"

"Offering you a drink." Not only did he hand the glass to me, he held it up to my lips.

"Spock--" I sighed then finally, reluctantly allowed him to hold it to my lips. I drank from it; it was so good that I had quite a lot of it. In fact I downed the entire glass.

He set it down on the desk, and locked his gaze with mine, "Did you enjoy that, _t'hy'la,?_" he asked, softly in a tone of voice Id never heard him use before.

I shrank back. "What does that mean?"

"I shall tell you tomorrow. Goodnight… _t'hy'la._"

"Spock…tell me now. What does it mean?"

He would not and waved me out. I got up and left his quarters, shaking my head. Sometimes Spock could be so damn weird. This whole thing was so damn weird, but I didn't feel like thinking about it just now. I was absolutely exhausted, the wine making me even more drowsy. Maybe I should head to the captain's quarter's to apologize, but that could wait. I decided to head straight for my own cabin and maybe get some sleep.

I stepped into the lift. Jim Kirk was already in it headed for the bridge. "Oh!" I said, slightly embarrassed. This saves me a trip. "Hi Jim."

"Hi… Bones," he said awkwardly, not really looking at me.

"Jim…" I said. "I'm really sorry about what happened. I should really signal next time--"

"Did you injure yourself?" he interrupted, curiously gazing at my bandaged hand. "There sure has been a lot of injuries and illness around here, lately. Theyve been keeping you in business."

"Yeah, I know Jim. Damnedest thing really…all this unfortunate activity going on. I should… head to sickbay and get this taken care of." To avoid meeting Jim's questioning eyes, I pulled off the bandage off and inspected my palm.

I stared at it…and stared at it again…puzzled. There was nothing there. No sign of a cut, nary a scratch.

I closed my hand into a fist, looked up and grinned.

* * *

The next evening in Spock's quarters, where it appeared we were going to be using these stones, I held out the bag for him. Like a parent instructing a child, he patiently took the bag and held it out to me. "You must pick each stone," he said. "The runes belong to you."

"Fine, fine," I said impatiently, then did so. I thrust the stone out to him and anxiously waited for him to read it. Of course I was anxious. I knew what was coming.

Spock squinted at the stone. " _Fesuk_. To dream, together."

"Dream, together?" I wondered. "You dream when you sleep; or does it mean a daydream, or a mind meld?"

"It could be a mind meld. However, we do not consider a meld, dreaming. More accurately, I believe that it is describing the act of…sleeping together."

"So…just…sleeping. No sex."

"Affirmative."

"Well," I remarked. "One of the most intimate things you can do with someone, besides mind-melding I suppose, is to actually sleep with them. It can be more intimate than sex." I threw a concerned glance towards him. This was going to be awkward. "Will you be alright sleeping with me tonight?"

"I will have to get used to it," he replied. "I seem to recall the last time you fell asleep in my presence, while planet-side. You would not stop talking."

"Sorry." I grinned sheepishly. "When Im injured I tend to talk in my sleep. I was probably worried about you and Jim." I yawned; exhausted as usual. "This is only for tonight, right? We never have to repeat this: sleeping next to one another."

"That is correct."

"Good. Well. I never thought Id ever hear myself say this to you, but, lets get ready for bed. I'm using your shower."

"It is all yours, _t'hy'la_."

"Spock," I said, annoyed. "Unless you tell me what that means, I would prefer it if you would just call me Doctor like you usually do. Got it?"

"As you wish, Doctor."

I got up and went into the shower. As I turned on the water, I found myself shaking uncontrollably. I was exhausted granted, but also my nerves were shot to hell. _It was just sleep. Don't get excited. You are just sleeping with him. Not having sex, yet. Okay? _

When I stepped out of the bathroom, I found the Vulcan already in bed.

We were crammed in on his bunk. I was irritated in the heat, even though Spock had so thoughtfully set the temp down for me. But it still was too hot in here. I knew that it couldn't be too low, because then it would adversely affect Spock, so I would have to just deal with it. Even stripped down my underwear, I felt sweaty and wanted to avoid feeling the Vulcan's body heat for any length of time.

I shifted around, trying to get comfortable, eliciting a soft irritated sigh from the Vulcan. I finally settled on my side, back nearly touching the Vulcan's own. "Good night, Mister Spock," I said, formally.

"Good night, Doctor McCoy," he replied, equally formally.

Profoundly exhausted, I swiftly fell into a deep sleep.

_"So sweetheart, how much?"_

_"I'll take you back to my room for a hundred," she smiled sweetly._

_"Okay, you're on." I let her lead the way. _

_She led me into a room hung with rich red velvet tapestries, containing a lush red velvet round bed. My footsteps were deadened in the pile carpet. I sat down on the bed, sank down into its comfort and pulled off my boots, then my tunic, then my black t-shirt. _

_God, how many times had I done this before while on leave? It was always fun in the beginning, then later on afterwards, after we were finished, I always felt incredibly let down and lonely. It was mostly being held that I'd been looking for. Though, the sex was adequate. Yes. Just adequate. That's all it ever was. Adequate. Even with Jocelyn. It was just adequate. Leonard, you're a lousy lover,' she used to say. Is that why I found her with him? Nancy…is that why she left me and married Crater?_

_I removed my trousers and underwear as the woman turned the lights down low. _

_"What do you want tonight, lover?" she asked._

_I thought a moment. Perhaps I should try something new. "I want to fuck you in the ass," I blurted out. I blushed and giggled after I said that. "Sorry…that was a little vulgar of me. I don't know what got into me."_

_She smiled. "Your wish is my command."_

_Oh yes, it was. I pulled her to me, kissed her deeply; grateful that I'd paid extra to be allowed to kiss her. I kept my eyes closed, the sex felt better that way. That way I could pretend she loved me. _

_I ran my tongue down her angular face, tasting her warm skin, caressing her body. She responded to me. I wanted her now. I flipped her over and caressed her firm ass. My erection so achingly hard, I reached for the little bottle. As I lubed up, I could feel my own pulse on my penis. I slid a finger in the ass with a well-lubed finger, heard the moan which exited me even more, I couldn't wait any longer. I pressed my penis against her ring and entered her. Oh it was so warm… "Oh my god…" I moaned as I thrust deep inside. "This is fantastic." Id never felt anything like this before.._

_"Yes, it is extraordinarily good…Leonard…" I heard a gasp in return. _

_I opened my eyes. "Ahhhh. Spock… Spock… you feel so good--" _

_Wait a minute. _

_Spock?_

"Spock?" I was awake in an instant. "Spock!?"

I found that I had turned myself around in my sleep and had become hopelessly tangled up in the Vulcan's arms. I was laying partially on top of him with my body pressed tightly against his. I also found myself with a decidedly throbbing erection pointing into Spock's thigh. I glanced up and found that Spock was looking at me with an equally decidedly amused expression. _Oh shit_.

"Were you dreaming?" Came the innocent, aggravatingly smart-ass tone.

Goddamn smug, irritating, son-of a bitch, green-blooded Vulcan. "No kidding!" I snapped. I roughly disentangled himself from the first officer, got up from the bed and padded into the bathroom to calm down. I ran my head under the taps to wet my sweaty hair I waited and waited and waited some more till my erection finally went down. As I sat on the toilet and waited, I knocked back a glass of water, the water dripping down my face. I wiped it off then poured myself another deliciously cold glass full. God was it ever hot in here.

Slowly I came padding out of the bathroom to stand at the foot of Spock's bed. "Sorry about that," I said sheepishly. "Was I keeping you awake?"

"Only when you were grabbing hold of me."

"Oh." I laughed feebly. I noticed that he had set the temp down even more. It was comfortable for me, though now it was down to nearly artic level' for that Vulcan hide of his. "Hey, you should turn the heat back up," I protested. "Youll be too cold--"

"I shall be warm enough if you are beside me. Come Doctor."

I reluctantly walked back over to the bed, and sat down on it. I got ready to lay on my side again, till Spock, laying on his back, held his arm out to me. I noted that the black hair of his underarm matched his equally dark haired chest. Well, mine was lighter.

I hesitated for a few moments, then edged myself down onto his bunk. I lay my head in the crook of his arm, against that warm chest. I felt myself enveloped by the warm arms and settled down to sleep with my body firmly against his. It felt good like this, even if I didn't want to admit it to myself. I was being held, like I always wanted. Maybe I never thought about being held by Spock. But his arms were…so very comforting.

"Good night, Doctor," Spock leaned over and whispered into my ear.

"Spock," I whispered back. "If we're going to sleep--like this--" I sighed in acquiesence. "Call me Leonard."

I wound up sleeping better than I'd ever slept in my life.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 4


	5. Chapter 5

Title: The Runes (chapter 5)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes: TOS, S/Mc, Rated M

See earlier chapters for author's notes

______________________________________________________

THE RUNES (CHAPTER 5)

_....oh my beloved prince._

_I feel blissful, alive, shattered. Thee hast fully introduced me to the ways of lovemaking._

_the stones have seen to that._

_My prince is asleep next to me._

_I notice a wayward hair on his beard, longer than the rest. I shall trim it for him so he does not have to worry. He must not worry about anything._

_I am his ah'shasu._

_It is an honor to look after him in every way._

_I get the sharpest knife I can find...I hold it to his delicate, olive skinned neck, ready to trim his beard._

_Suddenly I hear a shout._

_the guard standing outside our bridal chamber...._

_he has witnessed this..._

_as he has also witnessed our lovemaking. It is the law._

_...and he has witnessed this: "No!"_

_I feel his knife stab though my skin, deep into my body._

_It pierces my lungs. I can feel it. I know._

_My blood, bright red, flows from the cut._

_My blood pools next to me,_

_my blood splatters,_

_on my prince... on the stone walls... on the ceiling._

_I look up at the guard._

_He keeps stabbing._

--

I jolted awake, breathing heavily. Glancing over, I noticed that Spock was still curled up next to me, asleep, breathing softly with his mouth slightly open. I smirked at the endearing sight. Whoever had originally said it was right. The act of sleeping was one of the most intimate things you can do with someone.

My bladder bursting; I got up and stumbled into the bathroom. We were supposed be leaving orbit around Berengaria in the morning, but I still had a couple more hours of my rest period left to worry about it. I used the toilet, got a glass of water, and went back to bed.

---

_My prince awakens next to me in terror: "beloved!"_

_the guard freezes; realizes his mistake....it was a misunderstanding..._

_he makes a decision..._

_...then.... stabs my prince, repeatedly._

_My prince instantly falls dead. The passion in his eyes fades away._

_His green coppery blood seeps profusely from seventy five sudden wounds._

_it pools.._

_...my beloved..._

_I watch in fasination. Calm. The stones lay underneath us._

_Soaking up our blood._

_"Our blood mixes."_

_I lay my head back. I am ready to die as well._

_I feel a knife being placed into my hand before I surrender to the darkness._

---

"Leonard…" A warm hand shook me awake.

"Hmmmm?"

"You are on duty in twenty minutes…you must wake up now. Or you shall be late for your shift."

I opened my eyes and stretched. "Mornin' Spock."

He handed me a cup of coffee and a plate of buttered toast. "Eat this," he insisted. "You have not been consuming enough food." He patted my shoulder and went off to take a shower. I stared into his wake. "Now, how the hell do you know?" I grunted as I bit into the toast. Ahhh. Slightly burnt…exactly how I like it.

As I sipped my coffee (that was perfect, too), I thought about the events of the past three days. The runes I'd picked so far were terribly mundane. I could find no good reason for doing what they ordered, except the obvious one: the curse.

One of the Runes I'd picked had commanded simply: 'ara'shara': Spock translated it as: 'To walk together in an area not normally frequented in silence'. "That's it?" I'd demanded of him. "Why?" What the hell was this supposed to mean? God, I hope he was translating this crap properly. Aparently this also was some damn Vulcan ritual having to do with companionship or something or other. If I didn't know him better, I would think he was pulling my leg.

The funny thing was, the Rune's commands seemed pretty ridiculous, but yet, we obeyed each one without complaint.

We wandered aimlessly together though all the corridors on every deck. Visiting areas we rarely went to. I knew Spock had never wandered 'aimlessly'--illogical probably-- and I never usually had the time. Now we had to.

Eventually after our meander through the ship, we entered the Aboretum, sat there on the bench, side by side among the flora and fauna. We gazed at the flowers Mr. Sulu, had created from cross-typing DNA from the species of the many different planets we'd visited; also many were his own inventions. To my surprise, I'd discovered that many of them were also created by Spock. Funny, isn't it. Well, I knew he grew Vulcan fruit in the hydroponics lab, but our supposedly tightly controlled, logical first officer just didn't seem like the type of guy to grow beautiful flowers. They looked like they'd been patiently tended to. And...I couldn't get over how stunningly beautiful they were, all big and opened up like that. The thought blew my mind. You think you know someone...

After sitting there for about an hour, we looked at each other, communicating soundlessly. We knew what we wanted to do. We went up to the observation deck to stare at the stars. I rarely went up there; Spock never had. We stayed there for a long while, just staring out into eternity.

All of this was done silently, just like the Rune had ordered.

At first this felt so akward, then as the evening wore on, it felt so right. It felt like we'd belonged there together on the Observation Deck. It felt like he'd always belonged by my side. Or was it: I belonged by his? I even grabbed his hand at one point. Well, I couldn't resist it; it felt like we were out on a goddamned date.

I noticed he didn't pull his hand away.

Afterwards, we calmly strolled back to Spock's quarters. I didn't feel like walking the extra distance back to my own, so I just decided to stay the night here. Well, it was late.

Then I slept here again the next night... after we read the next Rune.

Well, I was too tired to go back to my own quarters, all the way over there on deck nine.

Then the next night, the next Rune I chose, commanded: 'cquee'ut': which translated to (according to Spock) 'Ask a question one would not normally dare ask of each other'.

Spock had to be full of shit. Yet, we did it. We stayed in his quarters, ate dinner together, (though he was right, I had just picked at mine as I`d been doing lately) and I let him go first. I permitted him to 'ask me anything'. I should have known better than to do that. That damn Vulcan had the nerve to ask me why I had wore that ring on my pinky. The one I had lost down the drain.

I sighed and admitted (oh, what the hell), "It was a… my wedding ring."

"You are divorced," he observed, rather casually from my standpoint. "From what I understand to be a Terran dissolution of marriage. You have been divorced for fifteen years."

"That's true. You`ve been looking in my personal files."

"Negative. I read an interview you gave in the latest Starfleet magazine."

"Oh…they finally published that..." I cleared my throat, loudly and shifted in his chair awkwardly, I hadn't really wanted to discuss my personal life, not in that interview. But the woman was so attractive, so charming…I'd had a little too much to drink and there you go. I certainly didn't want to rehash it now. "Uh Spock," I began in my best 'I don't want to discuss it right now with you' voice. Hopefully he got the message.

He didn`t. He never did. He kept right on at it. "Is it not the custom on Earth, to discontinue wearing a wedding ring, once you are divorced?"

"Yeeeesss," I supplied, unhelpfully; looking down. "That is correct."

"Then why did you continue to wear--"

"Who cares?! It's nobody's business!" I had thrown that back at him rather abruptly. He stared at me. "Sorry," I muttered. "Some things are… difficult… for me to discuss."

"Then I shall ask you about something else."

My hand hit the desk in frustration. "No. Spock. You know what? Ask away. Ask me anything you want." I gestured wildly at him. He wasn't going to get away now. After what he'd started. I was going to finish it. "Well? Go ahead. You want to know more about me. Go on, Spock!" Now, I glared at him. Challenging him. Finish it!

"Not if it causes you such grave distress."

"No," I said, very delibretly. "I said it's fine. Alright Spock? Ask away." He hesitated. " Ask me, dammit."

"Thank you, Leonard. I am... however… curious about something else."

"What is it?"

"I am intrigued by the concept of a Terran divorce. A dissolution after you are already married. On my planet that concept does not exist."

"So what happens on Vulcan, if say, one spouse is unfaithful to the other?"

"On Vulcan, that does not happen. Once we are bonded there is no other. Ever. We can divorce our betrothed during the Kun-ut-Kalifee before the actual marriage ceremony. Not after."

"I see." I decided to just come on out with it. "Well, the concept of being unfaithful to your spouse is very common on Earth." I took a bite of a piece of fruit. The juice of it dripped a little down my face and to my astonishment Spock leaned over the desk and wiped the juice off my face with his hand.

"Did such an occurance happen to you?" he asked.

I shrugged. Why not. "I caught my wife in bed with another man."

"They were in the midst of copulation?" Only Spock would ask a question like this without batting an eyelash.

"No, Spock. They were in the midst of knitting a blanket." I got a raised eyebrow at that one. "Yes… They were right in the middle of having sex."

"Fascinating. You witnessed this? First-hand?"

"Yes…" I closed my eyes. I told him the story, vaguely at first. Then at his prompting, in more great, gory detail. I had to admit, it felt good to tell someone, unload on someone, finally. About why I'd decided to enter Starfleet. Not even my best friend Jim Kirk knew exactly what had happened. Or if he did, we never talked about it. He knew it was a taboo subject. And as... I had reluctantly relayed the tale to Spock... my voice broke...tears rolled down my face as I stared into the memories. Suddenly Spock's arms were around me, comforting me, as I remembered...

'Jocelyn how could you do this to me? I loved you…

`What did you expect, Leonard? You're a rotten husband…a lousy lover…' she didn't care. I did.

`I'm sorry…'

You fucking loser, you just caught your wife in bed with another man and you're the one who's sorry...

…but I was and I still am…

sorry.

I couldn't help but weep. In front of Spock. Then it turned into a sob. I wish I could have died. I tried to leave his quarters, but he caught me and held me close for awhile, and I forgot that it was Spock holding me. It just didn't seem like Spock anymore.

Then it was my turn to ask him something. I made sure that it was equally difficult and personal; just to see how he liked having to dredge up the past.

Afterwards, I didn't feel like being alone, so I decided to stay here to sleep, in his quarters.

---------

The next evening, I pulled out a Rune and handed it over.

"'_Ak'eiem,_'" he read aloud. "To give one a massage."

"A massage?" I tilted my head in confusion. "When are we supposed to have sex?"

Spock also tilted his head, in amusement. "I thought you were adverse to the idea."

"Well I`m not thrilled about it… but if we have to--"

"Not yet," he said. "We do nothing until we are instructed to do so. There is a progression."

"A massage isn't so bad, I guess. Well, which one of us gets it? Both or just one per night? Do we flip for it?"

"Flip?"

"Ohhh. Nevermind. It's no fun when I've gotta explain it." I motioned for him to take his tunic off. "Lie down." This was no big deal. I'd performed theraputic massage on the crew thousands of times, even on some rare occasions, on Spock when he'd suffered an injury. Though I'd hoped that this time, it would have been pleasureable for me, instead of having to do all the work, but oh well.

"Leonard," he said. "Let me perform it on you."

"Really?" I grinned. "If you insist." I hopped onto his bunk. Long fingers ran along the silk neckline of my Sickbay smock, then darted down to my hem to pull it up.

I pulled his hand away. "I'll take my own uniform off, thank you."

"Relax, thy`la," he whispered.

"Why do you keep insisting on calling me that?"

"I shall tell you in good time. Relax."

Beads of sweat formed above my lips. Relax he tells me. I wanted to, but I couldn't relax. We'd been sharing a bed for over a week, spending time together exclusively; cuddling even. But I was, to tell the truth, very nervous about him taking my uniform off in this very slow, deliberate way. Stripping me.

It also didn't help that the cabin envions was set back up at the usual Saharan temperature in Spock`s quarters. It had to be-- I had insisted on it-- he had so kindly had been suffering for my benefit, but I was a big boy. I could handle a little heat. Otherwise, eventually, I'd be dealing with a hypothermic Vulcan. However, as I felt the sweat pouring down my face and body, right now, the heat seemed much too oppressive. "Spock...I`m dying in your overheated lair."

"Be quiet." He expertly yanked the satiny blue smock over my head, leaving my black undershirt.

I'd felt that command from that baritone voice as a tingle in my belly and suddenly got achingly hard. But... I didn`t want to be aroused…not right now. I forced my breaths to space evenly to calm myself down. He was amused. Damn Vulcan. I saw the slight smile in his eyes. He either was becoming more expressive around me, or I was just simply becoming more attuned to him. I also had a nagging suspicion he could sense many of my emotions by simply touching me.

"You feel ashamed at being aroused in my presence," he observed.

I was right. "It`s not the appropiate time," I explained. "And if you must know, I'm nervous. I'm not used to being with you-- like this."

"You are not used to me by now? We share a bed. You get aroused when you sleep." Oh he'd noticed, had he?

"That's normal for me. The human body is just checking to see that everything is operational. And once in awhile," I admitted sheepishly. "I might have an erotic dream."

"You appear to have alot of those," he noted.

"Spock, just because I get erections in the night doesn't mean I'm constantly having erotic dreams!"

He didn't answer me and instead pulled off my black t-shirt. I was aware of him intently studying my bare chest. He'd seen me every night in my underwear but this was the first time he'd really...looked. I bashfully glanced down, but my chin was directed back up by a single, long finger. "I wish to remove the rest of your uniform."

"Go ahead," I breathed. Evenly. I sank down onto the bunk, resting on elbows and closing my eyes. I felt my boots come off one by one. He let them drop onto the floor. I felt him unbuckle, then slowly pull down the zipper, then inch down my trousers,pulling them all the way off.

When his hands started on my underwear, my eyes flew open in alarm. "No!"

"Yes," he whispered. "This too."

"Why? Why do I have to be completely nude?" I pushed his hand away from me. "You`re just giving me a massage, right?"

"I would not wish to see or touch another in this way, unless I belonged to them and they belonged to me. And as you belong to me, I wish to see you fully nude," he explained.

Belong to him? That spiked an irrational fear in my stomach. Calm down, Lenny. "But we don't really belong to each other," I protested. "We're just doing this because of the curse."

"We do in fact belong to each other. We performed the ritual of the wine," he insisted.

"Yeah but..."

"It is not a bonding," he said quickly; reading the thought that so obviously shone clearly in my light eyes. Everyone could always tell what I was thinking, not just him. My eyes hid nothing. "This ritual is not as common in contemporary times. It is an ancient rite," he was saying to me.

"Does everything have to come with a goddamned ritual on Vulcan?"

"We take comfort in the logic of rituals. Especially where sexual intercourse is concerned."

I didn't like the way he'd said that. Even as frustrated as I was, the gravity of the eventuality of us engaging in sexual intercourse, made me twitch. "We're only doing each activity, once. Right? I mean, once we do something, that's it. We don't have to repeat the activity. Right?"

"We may if we wish repeat any and all activities, however, we are not obligated to do so. If we do not wish to."

"Well I certainly don't. Do you?"

"No." He slid off my underwear.

"Well, good..." I murmered as I felt the warm air hit my skin. He paused; I was very aware of my body under his examination. I knew I was very thin and bony; I was terribly uncomfortable under his intent gaze. "So, what do you think?"

"Your physique is agreeable," he said.

"What does that mean? Do you like it?"

"Yes."

Oh now. Now he'd done it. Tingling, I was so hard I couldn't stand it. Somebody tells me I have a nice body and I'm putty. My dick pulsed and he stared at it very closely. "See?" I laughed softly, wishing there was a hole I could crawl into. "Sorry, I can't help it."

"You have average sized genitalia for a human?" he asked me.

"Well, yeah..." I chuckled. I wish he would stop looking at me like that. Next thing I know he'll want to touch it.

Actually... I kind of wish he would. Maybe it wouldn't hurt just this once. I guided his hand down.

"I cannot." He pulled his hand away as if burned. "Not yet."

"Ohhhhh," I sighed. I am going to die. "This is going to be a long night."

He continued to clinically observe my cock. "You posess a foreskin?"

"Never seen a human male naked, huh?" I laughed and flipped over onto my stomach. "Just get on with it, Spock. We only have till 2400 to obey this damn Rune."

_________________________

End of Chapter 5


	6. Chapter 6

Title: The Runes (Chapter 6)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes: TOS, S/Mc, Rated M (for explicit sex)

See prior chapters for author's notes

_________________________________

THE RUNES (CHAPTER 6)

The next evening, before we read a Rune, we sat down to eat dinner in Spock's quarters which was seemingly becoming our nightly custom.

Spock sat down across from me, saying very softly, "What would you like to eat tonight, Leonard?"

"I don't know. Surprise me." He got up and programmed the food reconsititutor, but glanced back at me. "Something vegetarian, I guess," I muttered. Lately, I'd been eating only vegetarian food as I'd been dining exclusively with Spock. It seemed rude to consume a ham sandwich in his presence while he made do with Plomeek soup. "What are you going to have?"

"Fruit."

"Is that all you ever eat?"

He opened a cabinet in the bulkhead that I had never seen before and brought out another bowl of fruit. "These will be safe for you to consume. Non-reconstituted. The only thing I have that is."

"Where'd you get these?"

"I grew them myself."

"Don't you have any peaches or anything?" I joked.

"Peaches?"

"Yes," I laughed. "Ever heard of a Georgia peach?"

"Yes," he said. "However, I have never eaten one." He studied me with such an intent look that quite frankly to me was unsettling.

"Yeah, big and fuzzy," I joked. "Georgia is well known for it's peaches. You mean to tell me, you came to Georgia as a kid but you never ate a big ripe peach right off the tree?"

"That is correct," he said. He pulled out a large oval shaped fruit, laid it on a wooden board and proceeded to cut it with a sharp knife.

"Well, you are definitely missing out," I snickered, watching him. "One of these days you should grow a peach in that hydroponics lab you're so fond of."

"Perhaps I should," he replied.

I felt increasingly more and more nervous as I continued watching him. Relax McCoy. All he is doing is cutting you a piece of fruit. But he was doing it ever so slowly and methodically. Was he teasing me? He couldn't be. I was becoming aroused again. As he finished, the fruit lay dissected into medium sized pieces on the board. He lay the knife down and held up a piece of fruit. "Would you like a piece, thy`la?"

"Spock--" I began, annoyed once again at the use of the word. Then, I gave in and smiled, awkwardly, "Fine."

He held up the fruit to my mouth so I could take a few bites from it. It was very good; very flavorful and very juicy, of course. I snorted as the abundant juice dripped down my chin. Just like a very ripe Georgia Peach. "Could you please give me something to wipe my mouth with?" I laughed.

He stood up and reached over to wipe my mouth with his own hand. Then he did something that I never thought I'd ever witness, he stuck those fingers into his own mouth to lick the juice. I stared at him, shocked. "What are you doing?"

"This was a fertitility ritual in ancient times," he explained.

"It is not!" I countered. He had a mischevious glint in his eye.

"Indeed it was, Leonard," he said. "Fertility, is the capacity of something to grow and develop."

"I know, what the hell it means. Are you refering to... something between you and I?" He nodded at me. I wasn't sure how to respond to that.

I got a summons to sickbay so I left his quarters.

I walked down the corridor and entered the lift. Suddenly, Jim Kirk bounced in, joining me, before the doors had a chance to swoosh shut. "Hi Bones."

"Oh," I mumbled. "Evening, Jim."

"What have you been up to, Doc?"

"Nothin'. Just headed over to sickbay."

"I see. Well, I've been wondering what Spock`s problem is. He's had the privacy lock on every night for the past couple of weeks."

"Oh, has he? Maybe he`s been meditating."

"He seems to be avoiding me," said the captain.

"Sorry, Jim. I don't know what to tell you."

"Bridge," he ordered to the computer.

"Sickbay," I ordered.

"So Bones," he said as he studied me. "What were you doing on deck five?"

"Just checking up on some ill crewman, Jim. That`s all." I didn't know what business it was of his, or why he was asking me, but I had a right to be on deck five if I wanted to. I hoped my glare let him know that.

"Was it Spock?"

"Why do you ask, Jim?"

"You've got fruit juice stains on your uniform. Pla-sava if I`m not mistaken. The famous blue fruit that stains your teeth blue. When you get to sickbay, look in the mirror."

I shot him a look, got out at the lift, entered the sickbay, looked in the mirror and swore.

--------------

"Come."

"Hi Spock," I muttered as I staggered in. He was in bed. Apparently I had woke him up. Well I had just spent the last twelve hours in the sickbay catching up on reports, then three more in my own quarters tossing and turning.

God, I'm glad I'm here. Somehow a half naked Spock, just woken up, is so damn sexy. Dammit...cut it out Lenny.

"You chimed?" Spock raised a puzzled eyebrow at me. This was a first for me.

"Yeah," I yawned. "Thought I'd be polite." Actually since that nice little episode with Jim, I figured I should chime from now on, just in case. I came over to sit on the bed next to Spock. "Care if I sleep here?" I lay down on the bunk next to him and crashed face first, before he gave me an answer.

"This is becoming redundant," he said. "You may sleep here tonight and every future night. If you wish. You do not need to continually ask my permission."

"Oh…It's just once more. Thanks, but I should really sleep in my own bunk. This is Starfleet not a cruise ship," I muttered; eyes closed. However, I did sleep much better here with Spock. Even after serving in Starfleet fourteen years, I'd never really gotten used to sleeping alone. I was starting to sweat. "God it's hot in here."

"Leonard." Spock reached over to touch me. "You will be too hot in your uniform. Take it off."

"Mmmmmph." I said into the pillow. "I will in a minute."

Spock sat up, then sat me up, and divested me of my satiny sickbay smock, then the black T-shirt. As I fell back down onto the bed, I felt his hands move down my bare chest to the fastening of my trousers. I was used to this by now. It was becoming something of a nightly ritual. As usual he paused and waited for my permission.

"Go ahead," I muttered and fell asleep.

-------------

I thrust the Rune out to him. "Well?"

"A'sharen'," he replied. "To kiss."

I gulped. "Oh…"

Well, this was it. Bit by bit, we were finally heading into the big stuff. My breath quickened.

My heart threatening to pound it's way out of my chest, I took a deep breath and stepped toward him. As I inched slowly closer and closer to him and looked into those obsidian eyes, I was determined to give our first officer the best kiss I could ever muster in these trying times. Realistically, it wasn't going to be the greatest kiss, nor was it going to be with the most ideal partner. But hell, with eyes closed, we could get though it.

But Spock had a trick up his sleeve. He held up his two fingers and pressed them against my lips.

As I felt the pads of his fingers on me. I felt an energy move into my mouth, then up my sinus cavity and shoot into my cerebral cortex. Suddenly, reality faded out of existence. A new one faded in. I felt Spock's mouth against mine. Lush... sensual.... exploring. Me.

He melted into me, then pulled away and solidified. Then he melted into him me again. Then again. Then I melted into Spock. It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. Ohhhh. I hadn't thought it would be like this. This wonderful…kissing Spock. Spock. Spock? `I'm… kissing… Spock…' The thought idly danced in my brain.

`What were you expecting…' came a fleeting song like response in my mind. It wasn't a thought, more of another presence with me. I felt the presence intertwining around me. Comforting me. I wasn't afraid. I wasn't alone anymore.

Ohhhh. The intense sensation of pleasure suddenly became too much for me to handle. I forced my eyes open.

Spock was standing in front of me, eyes closed, still with his fingertips tracing my lips. He'd never actually kissed me with his own lips. Fascinating.

Wearing a dopey grin, I swallowed hard and managed to get out, "That's what it's like to kiss a Vulcan, huh?" I was completely and utterly aroused. Not only in the body, my mind was electric. I was shaking.

Spock opened his eyes, and dropped his hand. "We have completed this particular task."

Dumbfounded, I inched a little closer to Spock and put my hands on his arms. "Yes, but…" I wasn't ready to complete this particular task, not in a million years. "Have you ever…kissed with your…" I gestured madly but Spock got the idea.

Looking directly into my eyes, he smiled.

I was delighted in his beautiful little smile. All for me. Suddenly I wanted nothing else in the universe than to kiss Spock. I pulled Spock to me by the chin, slowly closing the distance between us. Gently, I pressed my lips to his. I found Spock's mouth to be at first hard and resisting but I kept going till I felt his lips gradually soften and open up for me. I slipped my tongue into his mouth and let it linger there, tasting him, feeling his tenderly meet mine, tasting me.

The kiss growing deeper and deeper, the world leaving us again; my hands slid around his waist. Weeks worth of pent up passion rared it's head. I backed him into his sleeping alcove and pushed him down onto his bed. The kiss became more insistent and passionate by the minute. I nipped at his mouth. I wanted this. I knew he wanted this too.

His mouth against mine; I felt that word dally in my mind, `thy`la`. Rather than feel afraid of the invasion in my mind, or the word he used, I was thrilled. …lover…that's what he's calling me. A lover.

God, I wanted him so badly. With a groan I started to grind my painful erection into Spock's crotch till he pushed me off of him. "No…"

I rolled over to the side of him and complained bitterly into his neck, "Oh… come on…you fucking tease…" I bit down on his neck for emphasis. My hands dove underneath his uniform to rest on his nice flat warm belly. My fingers slid underneath his trousers. I wanted to explore every inch of him.

"We can go no further until we are instructed to do so. Forgive me." He pulled my hands out from his trousers and held me away from him at arms length.

Undaunted, I picked his hand up from my shoulder; kissing his wrist.

I slid his forefinger into my mouth, tasting his wonderfully warm digit. I proceded to suck on every one of his warm, long fingers, one at a time. He stared at me in wonder as I did so. I wanted to taste every part of him, but this is all I could have for now. "Spock…come on...I feel like a teenage boy trying to go all the way with his date."

"All the way?" He pulled his hand out of my mouth.

"Yes. Don't tell me you don't know what that means." I pulled Spock on top of me and into another kiss, moaning softly as I did so. Oh, now I could feel him against me; he was hard too. Oh my god...

And, then, of course I heard the annoying summons of the bosun`s whistle. The bane of my existence.

"Audio only," Spock called out, nearly with a gasp. "Spock here."

"Sickbay summons for Doctor McCoy, sir." Well, well, well, Mr. Connors was back on duty and they knew where I was. How'd they know where I was?

"Emergency?" I said softly.

"No sir. Doctor M`Benga is on board ready to meet with you."

"Oh…perfect timing." I groaned inwardly. "I'll see him in...twenty minutes, McCoy out." I reached over to snap the viewer next to the bed to off and turned to Spock. "You ordered audio only. Somebody is going to suspect something."

He shrugged. "They already do."

"Well fine if you`re not concerned about it. Then, neither am I, Spock." I flashed him a mischevious grin. "It only takes me three minutes to get from deck five to sickbay, which leaves us approximately seventeen minutes to make-out like a couple of human teenagers." I smiled and pushed him up against the bulkhead. "My…t'hy'la."

___________________

END OF CHAPTER 6


	7. Chapter 7

Title: The Runes (chapter 7)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes: TOS, S/Mc, rated M (for explicit sex)

see previous chapters for author's notes

_______________________________________

THE RUNES (CHAPTER 7)

"Doctor?"

"Hmmm?"

"Your report, please." Jim Kirk drummed his fingers on the table. Twelve pairs of eyes in the Level 3A conference room, were suddenly trained on me.

I grinned sheepishly. I must of dozed off... actually...I knew my mind had been on something else.

"Doctor M'Benga is fitting in nicely," I grunted. "He's fantastic. He's a godsend. The flu epidemic is eradicated." I took a long swig of my now cold coffee; polishing it off, wondering, why in the world did Jim have to make this thing at 2000, instead of 0900 in the morning, the time the 'Department Head' meeting was normally scheduled.

Unless he...

I played with my empty coffee cup. "Other than that," I continued on, nonchalantly. "There's nothing."

"That's all you have to add, Bones?" he demanded.

"Yep," I grunted again. Oh...come on...Jim. Call it a night. I snuck a look over at Spock across the table. At that instant our eyes met with a laser beam of desire. My stomach lurched and I looked away. We definitely had other things on our mind. "Until we're in orbit around Celus IV," I mumbled. "There's just not much going on. We make orbit in two more days...right Spock?" I grinned over at him.

"That is correct, Doctor."

Oh yes. That is correct Doctor...Doctor. Lately, I'd been loathing the occasions when Spock had to call me by my title, and that was whenever we were out in public-- away from our bedroom--uh--out of Spock's quarters. I was getting used him using my first name so sensually. I closed my eyes, sighing softly.

Then I realized that my little sigh had been louder than I thought. I caught a sharp look from Uhura. I needed to be careful.

Meanwhile, I could still hear Jim's droning on and on about something. God...I wanted to get out of here. I found my thoughts shifting to the other evening. That erotic massage Spock had given me.

I never knew Spock was capable of performing such a wonderful act. I was never usually capable of receiving such a pleasurable act. I knew that erotic massage was often used in sex therapy to treat a variety of sexual dysfunctions and anxiety. Since I was not the greatest lover in the world, at least Jocelyn had reminded me of that on a weekly basis, I had to admit that I was feeling a great deal of trepidation in eventually having sex with Spock. So it seemed rather--uh-- logical, for this Rune to introduce us to touching each other, really exploring each other's bodies without the pressure of sex.

I could still feel him expertly combing my hair with his fingers, massaging my scalp. He'd poured some spicy scented oil on his hands and kneaded the tense spots in my shoulders, then worked on my arms and hands, turning me into putty. Then he wound his down my back, to my ass. Kneading my cheeks. Then, I felt those hot fingers working on my thighs, shifting to my inner thighs, then down to my calve muscles and finally to my feet. Being on the receiving end; it drove me to weeping hardness. He knew it, and at first I'd been terribly embarrassed, but not anymore. Simply by touching me he knew what I liked. He straddled me. I was on my stomach, pinned against his bed, and so damn aroused. I got aroused at even the slightest touch from him these days.

Then we switched over. I did the same to him, or at least I tried to, as well as he did. And, just as I thought I couldn't stand the arousal anymore, Spock had said something about my needing a release...or however'd he put it...oh so calmly as he usually did. With that slight smile, he now favored me with he said he had to leave his quarters while I masturbated, otherwise he would be able to hear me. Apparently he wasn't supposed to see me or hear me yet.

After he'd left, I'd dove into his bathroom, grabbing hold of myself as soon as I could get underneath the water in his shower. The resulting orgasm had been so powerful that it nearly knocked me off my feet. And yes, I hated to admit, the whole time I had been fantasizing about Spock secretly listening to me on the other side of that door. I'd moaned a little louder than normal just in case he was. Which he wasn't. At least I don't think he was. Maybe he was. Secretly. Oh wouldn't' t that be something. I wondered if he'd needed a release too. Oh, to have been able to secretly spy on him.

I was getting hard again. Right here in the conference room. I shifted in my seat and crossed my legs the other way in an attempt to stifle it. I cursed these damn tight trousers, they hid nothing. What the hell was I doing, fantasizing about Spock in a staff meeting? What happened to concentrating on my job? My professionalism that I'm such a stickler for? Gone out the proverbial window. I guess. I'm supposed to be paying rapt attention to Captain James T. Kirk, not sitting here lusting like a hormonal teenager; exchanging sly looks with the first officer.

I caught another look from across the table. Oh Spock...

"Doctor McCoy..." A throat being cleared brought me back to the present.

"Yes, Jim. I'm with ya. Till we make orbit, I've got nothing else to say," I continued. "Unless you want me to make something up."

Jim sighed, loudly. "Alright. Then, if no one else has anything further?" Everyone in the room, the captive audience, it seemed, emphatically shook their heads 'no', "Meeting adjourned. Dismissed," said the captain.

The entire company of department heads shot out of the conference room and I noticed Jim Kirk rolling his eyes at them in their swift wake. Spock and I nodded our goodbyes to the captain and began to make our way out. "Uh...Spock," said Jim.

Spock turned back. "Yes, Captain?"

"How about a game of chess tonight? We haven't started a new one in weeks."

Spock glanced towards me, then back at the captain, with an uncertain look in his eyes. "Forgive me, Jim. I am...fatigued this evening. Perhaps another time."

"Fatigued? Oh..." said Jim. He narrowed his eyes. He knew Spock was fobbing him off. Spock never fobbed off his captain. Dammit why didn't Spock just say he was working in the lab? Well, that would be a lie and he never lied, and but he also never turned down a chess match. Jim tried me. "Bones? How about joining me in my quarters for a drink?"

"How about another night, Jim?" I muttered. "I'm...uh...fatigued too."

"Uh huh."

I could feel Jim's eyes boring into my back as Spock and I made our hasty exit.

---------------------

"He's on to us, Spock." I stood brushing my teeth at Spock's bathroom sink. "We might as well have skipped out of that conference room arm in arm. You should have played chess with him."

"Time grows short," Spock replied. He came up close behind me, his chest touching my back, chin resting on my shoulder as he watched me through the mirror. "We have business to take care of."

I got tingly at that little comment. "Yes...we sure do," I smiled. I finished up, turned round in his grasp and planted a kiss on his lips. I wriggled away from him; and lay my toothbrush down on his dressing table, where my toothbrush seemed to be living lately. "We do have only two more hours."

"It is getting late," he said.

"And you're getting eager," I noticed. I checked the chrono and nodded. It was nearly 2200. We never dared start even a minute over 2400. I grabbed the velvet Rune bag, shook it and pulled out a stone.

I anxiously watched Spock squint over it. "Well?"

"acharie'll," he said. "Use of an inanimate object--"

Oh come on. I slapped a hand on my thigh in frustration. "You're killing me! That's it?"

"In a manner befitting of foreplay," he finished.

"Foreplay? So that excludes sex?"

"Affirmative."

My eyes went electric in wonder. Foreplay, utilizing an object? An object? What kind of object? This was going to prove interesting. My sex life had been so average before. Never done this before. With a snort I realized that in this short time, I'd done a lot of things that I never would have dreamed of doing before. And I would do much more.

An object. I found myself thinking of a Wrigley's Pleasure Planet stage show I once saw. Jim had been with me that time, as we'd sat there, blowing our pay on Romulan Ale and probably a couple of lap dances. As we'd watched this show our eyes nearly popped out of our skulls. Damnedest thing I'd ever seen. Three girls with a piece of fruit. God that was hot... what fruit was it? A banana...

Yeah it had been great to watch, but actually doing it yourself with a piece a fruit... "Damn... kinky... ancient... Vulcans!" My voice was harsh, but my dirty smile betrayed me. "What kind of object are we supposed to use?"

He gave a slight smile in return. "We can use anything. I have no preference. I also have no experience in this area."

I raised an eyebrow in a perfect impression of him. "You sure about that?"

"Positive."

"Well, I've never done this before either. Who the hell do you think I am?"

"Not even on Wrigley's pleasure planet?"

I laughed, feebly. It seemed like I hid nothing from him. "No...."

"Then, have you any specific ideas, Leonard?"

I thought about that one. What could we use? A feather? Oooh that might be nice. Tickling Spock with a feather could prove interesting. But my mind kept going back to those three girls with that banana. Something edible. Whipped cream? maybe, chocolate?...hmmmm. "Fruit," I declared. "I did see a stage show on Wrigley's, you're right about that. It looked like alot fun. But Spock I don't want to use your Pla-savas fruit...it took me ages to get rid of that blue stain on my teeth."

"That is the only fruit I can offer," he said.

"I know. I know. Here, permit me." I walked up to his food re-constitutor and expertly typed in a code that I had memorized and used on occasion. The doors opened up and revealed a big, ripe, velvety peach. I picked it up and hefted it. Nice big, heavy. Perfect. "This, my thy'la, is a genuine re-constituted, Georgia peach." I plopped it into Spock's outstretched hand.

"Fascinating."

"Obviously the taste won't be as great as a real one. But this'll have to do in an emergency," I said. He examined the fuzzy fruit closely as I quickly pulled off my blue tunic and black undershirt and trying not to appear too excited or too nervous about what we were about to do. "I love eating a nice ripe peach with a glass of Saurian Brandy," I snickered, then looked down, self-consciously.

"How does it taste?" he wondered.

"Here, find out." I pulled the peach out of his hand and took a bite out of it. With one arm, I pulled him roughly to me and kissed him deeply. The juice dribbled down my chin as I did so. He responded by licking up the juice with his tongue.

"Hmmm. It is rather good," he agreed.

I laughed. Then to my amazement, he pulled the peach out of my hand, took a bite, grabbed my by the scruff of the neck and kissed me just as roughly. I found myself sucking the juice from his mouth; tasting him, tasting the peach. He pushed me against the bulkhead, kissing me passionately, grinding his erection into my hips.

It was amazing...Spock was becoming more erotic and sensual than I'd ever imagined our logical first officer to ever be. I'd been trying for two years to get him to loosen up and now... "Spock..." I noted as he handed the peach back to me, with a satisfied look on his face. "You seem... so different somehow. You seem like you are really enjoying-- this."

"I am."

"Yeah, but I never thought--"

"Shhhh--" he said and ripped off his own tunic and undershirt in one move all the while still pushing his hip into mine. I stared at his chest. I mean really stared this time. I knew he must have nipples but I couldn't see them, not under all that black hair. I reached out and traced his very prominent clavicle; ran my finger down to his thin but very strong arm. He shivered slightly at my touch. "Your hands are clammy," he said. He placed his own warm hands on my chest, running them through my own chest hair, then down my belly to the fastening of my trousers. "Your skin is so cool to the touch, Leonard."

"I'll warm up if you--"

"Quiet.." he commanded. ohhh God...whenever he ordered me like that.... Now my swiftly painful erection was trapped in my underwear. He knew I liked being commanded like that. He undid the fastening of my trousers, and inched them down.

One handed, the peach still clutched in my left, I worked simultaneously at the fastening of his. Took me longer than it had taken him. Finally, successful in getting it undone with some help from him, I pulled down his trousers revealing his fleet issue underwear. Kneeling in front of him, I noticed that this guy had absolutely no hair on his legs but a healthy amount on his chest. Go figure. I stood up awkwardly.

I had deliberately avoided checking out the hard bulge in his underpants. To be perfectly honest, it still made me just a little squeamish to think about what we were going to eventually do one of these days. Well I did sneak a little look...it was like a flitter crash..you just had to look at it, even if you didn't want to.

Both of our black trousers around our ankles; we simultaneously stepped out of them. He gathered me up in his arms, like I'd often picked up Jocelyn, and carried me over to his bed with me still clutching this wonderful peach. He gently laid me down and worked on pulling off my boots. He let one then the other drop onto the deck. My breaths got more intense with each drop. I watched him pull off his own and drop them. One after the other; very deliberately. Both of us were clad only in our underwear, and very very hard. He laid down next to me and pulled me close.

"Spock," I whispered. "Here's a question."

"Yes?" he murmured and gently kissed my neck. I shuddered, feeling that dry, hot mouth of his on my skin.

"I'm not going to be able to--you know--hold out for very long. Can I--uh--" somehow, even though we were in bed together, it still felt odd asking him something so intimate. "How far can we go with this?"

"I do not understand your phraseology."

"I mean, the difference between foreplay and sex. There's kind of a fine line."

"Is there?"

"Yes."

He stopped kissing me and looked at me.

"Great," I said. "Neither one of us really knows what we're doing. Do we. Neither one of us has been with a man before. I mean...how are you going to know how to--"

"Give you pleasure?" He finished and nodded. "I will know."

"You're that certain, huh?"

"Yes. By touching you, I know how."

"Really? Just by touching me?"

"I have also, taken the liberty of doing some research."

Suddenly the visual of Spock viewing a porn-vid sprang into my mind, but I shook it away. "That's great, but--"

"You will again have to have a release, privately. However, I will make certain that you do not achieve an orgasm in my presence," he stated, and resumed kissing my neck.

I'm glad he was so confident about it, because I sure wasn't. "Uh...not if you keep doing that."

"I am a touch telepath," he reminded me for what seemed the hundredth time. "I will be able to feel when you are at that point."

"And then what?"

"I will stop it."

"Stop an orgasm? Oh..." I gasped as he bit down on my neck. This was going to be torture. "When we finally do get to fuck," I managed to get out. "I'm going to pop off like a torpedo."

"Quiet," he ordered again. I moaned at that. He pulled the peach out of my hand, took another bite, and kissed me hard, forcing his tongue into my mouth. Well, he didn't have to force very much...I opened up to take that juicy tongue in. Pulling off some of the peach and mashing it in his hands, he ran the juicy mess down my body. Then proceeded to lick it all of it up with his warm tongue, in-between bites on my skin. I was amazed at the loud moans coming from my own mouth. His mouth clamped down onto my left nipple, then my right.

I lifted off the bed, my head tilted back. Satisfied with my response, he started kissing farther and father down my body. Nuzzling my chest hair, then kissing down to my belly. He moved further till his face rested on my public hair. He looked up at me with those beautiful brown eyes and murmured as he grasped my penis. "There is an ancient Vulcan word for oral ministrations...called mi`Inoah."

"Mmmmm. Gotta love those ancient Vulcans…" I gasped.

"Indeed. It is very rare for contemporary vulcans to engage in this act. But for the FthinraKathir, it was an integral part of the sexual act." He bent down and kissed the head of my cock, gently teasing my foreskin with his teeth and running his tongue around the head.

"Don't.." I tried to pull away. "It's too much. I can`t control it. I''ll--"

He kept it up. "I can feel where you are," he insisted. "You are close but not yet." He took my full length into his mouth.

I groaned. "Spock don't...I'm going to--" Without stopping the action of sucking me, two fingers from his free hand pushed onto a pressure point in my thigh. An energy from that touch shot up my body and into my brain. I felt a presence intertwining in my mind, controlling my physical responses. It immediately took me way back from the edge. I gazed at him, panting, amazed. He was going to keep pulling me back, as long as he wanted.

The peach a sticky mess all over me, the bed, everywhere, he continued his assault on my skin. Touching, caressing, kissing, and biting till I couldn't stand it any longer. Then back to my cock. I pushed him off of me, and ran into the bathroom. I stepped into his shower to take care of business and leaned my head back in the cool water spray.

I came out, grinning like the Cheshire cat and looking at the mess on his bed. "I'm synthing up another peach. This is too much fun. It's your turn to fight off an orgasm."

__________

END OF CHAPTER 7


	8. Chapter 8

Title: The Runes (Chapter 8)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes: TOS, S/Mc, rated M (for explicit sex)

see previous chapters for author's notes

________________

THE RUNES (CHAPTER 8)

It was late the next evening when we were finally able to adjourn to Spock's quarters with about two hours to spare.

Sweaty from working in the sickbay all day, I took a shower, toweled off then pulled on one of his vulcan robes I'd brought with me into the bathroom. I'd deliberately picked one with a bunch of tricky fastenings to give him something else to undress. Took me a few minutes to figure out how to fasten it. The silk fabric of his robe felt nice against my skin. It would take forever for him to undo this. And, I did like it when he methodically stripped me.

I exited the bathroom, his robe brushing the door as I moved through to the bed chamber.

"You look agreeable in my robe," he noticed. He grabbed me into an embrace and nuzzled my wet hair. "Your scent is also, pleasing."

"Come on, times- a- wasting." I wriggled out from his grasp, picked up the velvet bag, pulled a rune out and handed it to him.

"KuhAuh'Sail," he said, softly, in that Vulcan tongue of his.

"Sex," I murmured. I nodded in agreement. I knew. Finally. We just stared off into space, me in a certain amount of shock. "Well... this is it." I plunked down heavily onto his bunk and continued staring into nothingness.

"It is." He sat down next to me.

For a few long moments we did nothing. Said nothing.

I waited for him to make a move, then decided that I would. I took a deep breath, wondered where to begin and just dove right in. I pulled him to me by the chin and into a kiss. "I'm really glad... to be honest," I murmured as I broke off the kiss, slid my arms around him and admitted, "I don't think I could stand much more foreplay, could you?"

He shook his head. We stopped to just gaze into each other's eyes. As I held onto him and regarded the doe-eyed first officer... I wondered if he knew how much I respected him, loved being around him, being with him. "Yes. I do," he said in response.

"Stop reading my mind," I laughed. Then sobered. How was he able to read my specific thoughts? I thought he could just sense my emotions. I made a mental note to ask him about it...later.

Extremely nervous, but eager to get this under way, I shifted on his bed till I was sitting directly behind him. My legs on either side of his. I moved my hands up to his shoulders, kneading them. I played with the tunic zipper at his neck, pulled it down, exposing his black undershirt and more of his neck. My mouth found its way over to that neck and bit down, getting a response from him.

With a single finger I touched the point of his ear. 'These ears are so big', I noted as I traced the ear back and forth. Encouraged by him turning into me, I decided that those ear points would look much better if they were in my mouth. Plus I wanted to see if they qualified as a Vulcan erogenous zone. They did. I heard a soft intake of breath from him as I sucked on them, then a soft little moan from him as I bit down. `_God, I love these things_,' I thought to myself, the ear still in my mouth.

"You stated... on a previous...occasion... that... my pointed ears were un-attractive," he managed in between sucking in his breath, every time I bit on his ear.

"I never said that..." I pulled his face close to me and into a kiss.

He pulled away to protest, "You did. You distinctly stated--"

"Spock...Shut up and kiss me."

Just then the bosun's whistle sounded. I jumped up like I had been prodded with a branding iron.

"_Bridge to Mr. Spock_." It was Jim. I moved away from Spock so I couldn't be seen.

He flipped on the viewer next to the bed. "Spock here."

"_I need you on the bridge_."

Spock sighed deeply. A little too deeply to be perceived as normal. "Is there something wrong, Captain?"

"_We've achieved orbit around Celus IV. I thought you might like to do some preliminary scans of the planet_."

I flopped down on the bunk, stiffleing a groan. Spock looked back at me then back to the viewer. "Are you sure this cannot wait till the morning, Sir?"

"_No...Spock. Come up to the bridge_."

"Is that...an order...sir?"

"_Why? Were you in the middle of something_?" Jim, was growing more and more suspicious at this strange response Spock was throwing at him. Granted, it was late, but, Spock normally would have jumped to do some preliminary scans, no matter what time of day or night it was. He and Jim often stayed up all night, minding the store. I shifted uncomfortably on the bed and bit my lip.

"I was," Spock answered truthfully. "In the middle of something. You are correct."

"_Like what_?" Jim laughed. "_You're weren't mediating, you've still got your uniform on. You're obviously not asleep. Get your ass up here. And yes. That's an order_." Spock glanced over at me again, apparently looking to me for assistance.

"Just go, Spock," I said softly, trying not to have my voice detected. But the computer picked it up anyway.

"_Bones_?" I knew there was the unspoken: What are you doing in Spock's quarters at this hour?

"Yes, Jim." I darted my eyes. I knew he couldn't see me; just hear me. Go on Jim. Ask me. What am I doing in Spock's quarters at this hour? I debated whether or not I should move into view so he could witness me wearing Spock's robe. If I tell you the truth will you just leave us alone?

He didn't ask.

Spock stood up stiffly. "I shall be on the bridge in four point seven minutes. Sir. Spock out." As the viewer turned to grey he turned and saw my agitation. He mirrored it in his own eyes. "I shall return to you shortly."

"Can`t you have a private life Spock? Must you jump whenever he calls you?"

"Doctor McCoy," he said formally. "May I remind you that we both have our duties. We are on-call no matter what the time. I cannot refuse a direct order from the captain."

"I know, I know" I sighed in dismay. I wondered why I had forgotten that again. It was becoming very easy for me to forget that we were Starfleet officers first and foremost. I was a doctor, on top of that. What was happening to me? "But... please Spock..." I found myself begging. "Make it quick up there. We don't know what will happen if we start even a minute after 2400."

"I shall endeavor to return to you shortly." With a peck on my lips Spock was out of the cabin in a flash.

I flopped down on Spock's bunk, staring for a while at his firepot. Then dozed off.

I woke up with a start after what felt like just a few moments later.

I checked the chrono. It was now 0745. The morning! I was still alone. Spock hadn't returned. And I was going on duty in fifteen minutes. Shit! We'd skipped the Rune. Now what the hell were we going to do?

I got up from the bunk and flipped on the viewer. "McCoy to bridge," I growled.

"_Spock here_."

"Good morning... Mister Spock."

"_Good morning, Doctor McCoy_." He replied, looking rather contrite.

I gave him a curt nod. "McCoy out."

As I toggled the button to off, the bosun`s whistle sounded: "_Sickbay to Doctor McCoy_."

The onslaught was returning, already.

------------------

Celus IV.

I stood anxiously in the transporter room, to see off Kirk and Spock.

There was nothing inherently unusual in my own behavior, except that Spock and I appeared to be intently studying one another.

It was enough for Jim to notice. He glanced back and forth between us quizzically. "Gentlemen?"

"Hmmm?" I shifted my anxious gaze over to the captain.

"Is there something wrong? What's going on?"

I shook my head uneasily. I sneezed into my stripe and a half on my velour clad arm, swallowed with my sore throat and reluctantly walked back to where Scotty stood at the controls.

"Bones," said Jim. "You look like hell."

"You try having to run yourself ragged to treat everyone on this ship and see how you look!" I thundered back a hundred times too forcefully.

"I meant," Kirk said kindly. "You're falling ill."

"Yeah, well. Was bound to happen sometime."

Spock and Jim stepped onto the platform. "Take something for it, Bones."

"Yeah, yeah, Jim. I will." I resumed my staring at Spock. Spock returned my intense gaze.

"That's an order, Bones. Take care of yourself." Jim nodded to Scotty. "Energize."

I watched Scotty's hands to verify that there was nothing amiss in the beam down, then watched Jim and Spock sparkle and disappear.

Damn transporter shifting molecules, sending them god knows how far and expecting them to reassemble just like that. It was unnatural.

"When are they supposed to return?" I demanded of the chief engineer.

"In exactly fifteen minutes."

"I'll wait." I sneezed again. Then again and again.

"That's some powerful sneeze you've got there, Lenny," laughed Scotty.

"Scotty, don't start with me." I gazed intently at the empty transporter platform, clenching my fists. Please be safe.

"Well," smiled Scotty warmly. "It'll make the time pass quicker if I wait with ya."

"I thought you were supposed to be fixing the warp drive," I muttered absently. It had gone out again.

"I am!" Scotty retorted. "But--I'll be needin' Mister Spock's assistance, when he returns."

"IF they do."

"Just what in the hell are ya meanin' by that, Doctor McCoy?"

"Nothin' Scotty. Just my usual unfailing confidence in the transporter."

Scotty snickered and shook his head. After a beat he asked, very softly, "I've been meanin' to ask you somthin' Doctor. Did I get ah--" he cleared his throat, "--a blowjob from the--ah-- green skinned woman with a red eye in the center of her forehead?"

"Scotty," I admonished. "If you can't remember what happens to you on leave, perhaps that's a sign you should cut down on the booze a little."

"Aye." I could tell that Scotty meant it, too. We fell into an uneasy silence for the rest of the wait, both of us intently staring at that god-damned platform.

Jim and Spock re-materialized in exactly fifteen minutes to the second.

"Well, that went well. Nothing too terrible," Jim said happily as he hopped off the pad.

"Everything okay, Jim?" I stepped up and frantically performed a visual inspection of the captain. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"Fine, Bones. Status report, Scotty?" Jim sauntered out of the transporter room, with Scotty following him, giving him detailed explanations of the warp core status.

With Kirk gone, I turned my attention over to Spock who stood there quietly, hands clasped behind his back. "Well? Did anything happen?"

"This," said Spock as he pulled his hand around for my inspection. On his wrist, there was a small green scratch.

A scratch? By a poisonous plant? Maybe a poisonous creature? Oh no…there was antidote to be cooked up, we were running out of time, but first I had to ascertain just what sort of creature attacked the Vulcan. "What scratched you?"

"I did it on my tri-corder."

"Oh…" I furrowed my brow in thought. "Your tri-corder? As you were being attacked by a poisonous creature?"

"No. When I pulled it out to scan a leaf, I accidentally caught my wrist on a exposed metal portion of it."

"Oh.... OH!" I suddenly laughed like a hyena and gratefully lunged over to embrace him. "That's fantastic!"

The lift doors swooshed open. Jim walked through them and froze as he spied my arms around the Vulcan. "Bones? Spock?" Jim continued to stare at us in shock.

"Yeah?" I smiled and turned my head around. I didn't even bother to release Spock. Spock didn't bother to move away. I kept holding him tightly and smiling broadly.

Jim shook his head. "I've never seen anyone get that excited over a little scratch."

-----------------

We traveled down the lift from the bridge to the sickbay, Jim and I. All the while Jim eyed me warily. He had noted jokingly, that I was in an especially crabby mood. Good, I'm glad he noticed. I wonder why.

I'd spent a full ten hours in sickbay mostly treating broken bones and also some rather contrite Gonorrhea victims. Some of the ensigns who were afflicted were just kids really, on their first tours of duty and possessing absolutely no sense when it came to shore- leaves on friendly alien planets. It irritated me, the chances people took with their own health. All these young crewmen had paid a visit to the brothels on Berengaria and were now drifting into the Sickbay to get treated for that particular strain. I'd mused that whoever was in charge of the girls would have watched them for signs of disease but I guess not.

That'll teach these damn kids to take care of themselves.

Then later, I hung around the bridge for the better part of an hour, picking petty fights with Spock as if to show the bridge crew or mostly Jim that there was nothing out of the ordinary between him and me. Then I wondered if I'd fooled anyone. Then I wondered why I was being so paranoid. My sneezing was getting worse, and now I guess Jim was taking it upon himself to escort me back down to the sickbay, to make sure I got something for this damn virus I'd managed to contract.

"Everything okay, Bones?"

"Fine Jim," I said tightly.

As Jim kept his eyes pinned on me, I could see the wheels turning in his head. He was dying to ask me a personal question in the relative privacy of the lift, but he seemed hesitant. Debating whether or not it was his command prerogative to inquire about his officer's personal life.

"Something on your mind, Jim?" I prompted.

He shook his head 'no'...but I knew he was dying to ask. Go on...ask me Jim.

"Bones--"

"Yeah?" I fixed him with a cold, challenging stare. Go on…ask me.

"I hate to pry, but--"

"Yeah? You want to ask me something, Jim? Well go ahead."

"What were you doing in Spock's quarters last night? Is he okay?"

"He's fine."

"Were you treating him for anything?"

"Nope."

"Oh…I see."

"You want to know Jim?" I snapped, kept up my piercing gaze, adding a sinister smile. "You really want to know? Well, I'll tell ya. We're sleeping together."

He laughed the rest of the way down to the Sickbay interspersing it with: "You? And… Spock? That's a good one Bones!"

I knew even before he and I had stepped into my consulting office that nothing could really be done for this new viral strain, after taking a hypo full of anti-viral I was just going to have to ride it out. I snapped a, "I'll go on the sick-list for a shift. M'Benga can see to any consults."

"That's a great idea, Bones. I think you need some rest." He chuckled a little, remembering what I'd told him in the lift.

I grumbled a response that sounded like: "I'll be in my quarters." That appeared to satisfy Jim and he left me alone to go.

I entered the quarters that I rarely visited anymore, except, periodically, to get a change of clothing when I'd run out of my uniforms I'd now kept in Spock's cabin. I realized how lonely and cold it was in my sparsely furnished quarters, but for a few skulls, books and now yellowing plants. I turned the heat up to a comfortable level and plopped onto my bunk, falling asleep fully clothed, face down.

_...They'd called it: 'Alie'tulu'._

_The 'horror'..._

_the guards had found the knife in the princess' hand. The prince and princess were both dead._

_'She has dishonored her family' they have said..._

_The v'LauDuKharir decreed that her people, will also be murdered in this way. Their throats cut from ear to ear. The way the princess murdered her prince... Every last man, woman and child of the FthinraKathir...burn their records, their scrolls, the receptacles of their katras, their music, their art....everything…_

_I can hear the bone chilling screams of the children as the v'LauDuKhari warriors crash through in a rampage...slitting their throats...the rivers of red blood flows amongst the trees..._

I started awake. I found myself in Spock's arms; him asleep. As soon as I opened my eyes, he woke up. I sighed dreamily. "How long have you been here?"

He handed me a glass of water, then hugged me close to him as I drank it. "Six point four hours. You have been feverish. I fell asleep when your fever broke."

"I was having an awful dream..."

"Were you?"

"Mmmm. More crap's been happening because we skipped a damn Rune, isn't it."

"We are merely very late. We are able to rectify the situation," he said.

"How? I'm ill, Spock, I feel like hell. This is a different strain. I might pass it on to you."

"That," he said. "Is a chance that we shall have to take. It is time." He took the empty glass from me and set it down on the bedside table. After a beat, our lips met tenderly, softly. He began gently disrobing me. I gave in to his ministrations, feeling the gentleness, the soothing warmth of his fingertips on me as he removed my uniform.

I no longer felt like hell.

He slid my underwear off, slowly, in a manner that he'd now done many times before. Then I watched as he pulled off his own uniform.

I ran my hands down his warm, naked body, letting my hands explore and caress him, bringing him to arousal. I could hear his breaths quicken with my touch. I let my hands drift down to his hard cock. Slightly bigger than mine, I could feel the buzzing energy in it. I began to stroke it, gently, in a way I would like mine to be stroked, I pumped my hand up and down on his shaft. It had felt so strange the first time I'd done this to him, touching another man in this way. But I had gotten used it, quickly. Now I was rather adept.

As I lay flat on my bunk, he shifted position to straddle me, lining up his own very warm, nearly hot cock, with my own. I grabbed hold of the both of them, and held them together for a while, without moving, the warmth of his nearly bringing me over the edge.

By touching me, he could feel I was close, and he backed off me. He slid down till his face rested next to my cock. He took two fingers and let them rest on my length. A laser beam of desire shot up into my brain and I writhed and moaned. I was nearly in pain as the pleasure was too intense for me to handle. Realizing this he pulled his fingers away and simply took my cock into his mouth. "Ohhh yes.." I hissed. This was gentler, better. I felt his warm mouth, surround me, his tongue teasing my head. He tasted my balls, then moved back to my length. I moaned louder and louder, bucking my hips into his mouth, urging him to take me in deeper and deeper.

My head hit the back of his throat, then he pulled up and circled his tongue around my head, tasting my pre-cum, then dived back down, swallowing me. Then I was at the edge and then over. Coming and coming and coming, spurting my seed down his throat as I cried out in ecstasy, lifting my head up and arching my back.

Spent, my head fell back onto the pillow. I lost my hold on reality for a moment. When it returned, I felt him move back up to lay next to me, taking me in his arms. It was a long while before I could string together a sentence. "Oh...my...God..." I panted.

"Feeling better?" he asked, innocently. His eyes were alight.

"Shut up," I laughed breathlessly.

After a few more minutes of holding me, I heard his voice very softly in my ear. "Leonard?"

"Hmmm?"

"Have you any… lubricant?"

____________________

END OF CHAPTER 8


	9. Chapter 9

Title: The Runes (Chapter 9)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes: TOS, S/Mc, rated M (for explicit sex)

for author's notes see previous chapters

___________________________________________

THE RUNES (CHAPTER 9)

"Have you any…lubricant?" Spock asked me, once again.

"Hmmm?" I struggled out of my satiated stupor to glance over at him.

"Lubricant," he breathed into my ear. "I wish…I wish to be within you."

Oh… "You'll have to make a req from stores," I muttered.

He nodded, rose up out of bed; walked into the other room with his erection leading the way. My increasingly widening eyes followed him, nervously. Calm down McCoy. You knew it all was leading up to this. However, I noted with alarm that his penis was a little too big for what was about to happen. It had never seemed much bigger than mine before, but right now this second, it looked huge.

After a few moments Spock beckoned at me from the other side of the partition. "I need your chip."

"My what?" I asked, in a daze.

"Your data-chip."

Right…he needed my card to requisition an item from the ship's stores. And knowing me, I probably threw it absentmindedly over in the corner with all of my reports and I was going to have to get up out of my bunk and help him look for it.

With food, an Enterprise officer or crewman could synth up anything they wanted, though I'd put many of the crew on special diet cards. However with any kind of toiletries or other personal articles, we had to requisition each item from ship's stores. Any item was then immediately beamed over by the Enterprise computer. And…there was a record kept of all requisitions, so I knew that meant the duty officer will know the CMO is asking for sexual lubricant...and the duty officer--Lt. Commander Jones, was one of the biggest gossips on board ship.

Okay…I certainly had a right to order sexual lubricant if I wanted to. I might be asking for some for medical reasons, (however I'd really be req'ing that from the sickbay.) "The chip is--uh--over there--somewhere behind my desk," I said, hesitantly. "I think. You'll have to look around for it."

After patiently digging through my stuff on the ledge, Spock found the chip. He scrolled through the menu with his thumb. "There is nothing entirely satisfactory in the ships stores," he called out. "For future couplings, I shall have to create my own lubricant from scratch."

Future couplings? We're going to do this again? "They've gotta have something adequate," I called back. "Just hurry up and pick something."

He returned with a small bottle and handed it to me. "This shall do for now."

I looked at it. "What's wrong with this?"

"The scent is not pleasing to me. Appropriate scents during love making are very important to Vulcans. Especially ancient Vulcans." He lay down on the bed next to me, pulling me close to him again. "Are you ready, T'hy'la?"

He wasn't wasting any time, was he? I gulped, "I...uh... suppose so." Now things suddenly seemed very awkward between us.

"Turn over," he commanded.

"Wait, wait!" I laughed and laid a hand on his chest. "Slow down. You have to get me warmed up again, first. Kiss me."

He pulled me to him by the chin. Even after a few minutes of kissing him, I still felt my heart pounding terribly.

"Relax…" he whispered into my ear.

"Listen Spock. Ordering me to relax isn't going to just suddenly make me relax," I found myself snapping at him. "I'm trying to, okay? This is a new experience for me, you know."

"I can sense your reluctance to do this."

"You're right, I am reluctant," I admitted. "But, I know we have to do this." I smiled in an attempt to sooth us both. "I'm sure it'll be fine. Come on Spock."

He laid his hands on me again and sighed. "Leonard."

I laughed again. "What?"

"I can still sense your reluctance."

I looked away, ashamed. "Don't worry about it, Spock. It's nothing personal. It's just--"

"You are frightened of being penetrated."

I nodded. I was fucking terrified of being penetrated.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

I didn't answer him. Instead I asked him, "Why can't I penetrate you?"

"You have already achieved sexual satisfaction," he replied calmly. "I wish to penetrate you in order to achieve mine."

"Great," I huffed and folded my arms. "So, we have to do it your way!"

He pulled my arms out of their folded position and said, "This is meant to be pleasurable. I will not injure you."

"I know that." I kissed him. "It's okay." Then I thought of something. Maybe it was silly but it was worth a try. "Hey, Spock, you know when you kissed me for the first time with just your fingers and it felt like you were really kissing me with your mouth? Can't we do that with sex?"

I actually got a smile from him for that one. With teeth showing. Well, almost. Fascinating. I guess for him that was akin to a laugh. "There is," he said. "However, the Runes demand real physical copulation."

"Do they, now?" I said and rolled my eyes. How the hell did he know?

"Will you lie back?"

I finally did what he asked of me. He sat between my legs and rubbed my thighs for what seemed like an eternity, then gradually he inched my legs apart, squirted some lube on his fingers. He gently touched a warm finger to my asshole. I groaned softly, closed my eyes and forced myself to enjoy the touch. Then, I felt him slowly slide a finger in. My eyes flew open. "Oh…no..."

He pulled it out. "Relax."

"Look. I'm trying…"

"You are extremely tense."

I sat up on my elbows and glared at him. No kidding. Yes, I'd had internal exams performed on me in the past. I'd also performed hundreds of them on patients, when a scanner wasn`t cutting it. However, a clinical exam was nothing like Spock touching me like this, right now. I'd never felt anything remotely like this before.

Finally, I gave in and flopped back down, nodding at him to continue. His overheated finger inside me gave a weird combination of pleasure combined with the urge to defecate. I'd never had a woman do this to me. I probably never would have let her.

Spock left his finger in place for a moment letting me get used to the sensation. Slowly he drew it out. Equally slowly he slid it in again. "huhhh," I gasped. It was starting to feel good. I hoped to hell he knew what he was doing. With his other hand, he began stroking my penis. This was even better and eventually, I began writhing; enjoying his invading finger and surrounding hand.

I felt the finger move across my prostate gland. I jumped, "It's too much."

"Shhhhh," he said, continuing to stroke my cock and gently probe my rectum for long long minutes. I did appreciate that he was taking all the time in the world, too. Then it was two fingers, then later three. Starting to really enjoy it, I squirmed up then back onto his fingers.

He inched up, so I could grab onto his cock, so I did, stroking him, very softly. I could feel the pulsing.

Suddenly, slowly, he pulled his fingers out of me. "Flip over," he commanded softly. I nodded and rolled over onto my stomach. I felt his hands on my waist inching me up onto all fours. He leaned over me, biting me on the shoulder, murmuring softly in my ear, to the point where I could barely hear him: "Your physique is agreeable, you feel cool to the touch, your skin is soft…" then he bit on my ear, then my shoulder, then onto my other ear.

He bit my shoulder again and I leaned my head back into the sensation as he did so. I wanted him to bite me harder, and as if sensing what I wanted, he bit onto my shoulder, hard this time, till he could probably taste blood.

He rubbed my shoulders again for awhile, tending to the knots; I loved the feel of the commanding heat radiating from his long fingers. I wanted him to bite me again, and he did. I groaned this time.

He moved his hands down my back down to my lower back, to my waist. I heard him pour more lube into his hands. I moaned as I felt hot fingers caress my scrotum. God...he acts like he knows what he's doing. How does he know what he's doing...just from watching porn? Wait a minute--he never said he actually did watch it... he just said he had done research...but... what kind of research...? "Uh...Spock... are you a--?."

"Shhhh," he ordered again. He pushed a finger up inside me. I moaned again and looked back at him to watch him lube his own penis with his other hand.

I kept my breaths even, and tried not to think. He remarked softly: "I anticipate that you will feel slightly uncomfortable at first--"

"I know," I grimaced.

"I am not going to injure you. Will you remember that?"

"Yes. Yes. Get on with it," I grunted.

He hesitated and carried on telling me, "If you feel any serious discomfort, I shall feel it too and stop. Is this acceptable to you?"

"Uh huh," I agreed into the pillow. Get on with it.

He inched his hips up to me, placing the tip of his cock to my ass, but merely kept it there, rubbing the entry with it, and reaching round to stroke my own penis with his other hand. I concentrated on relaxing my muscles. After pushing, he managed to slip the head in.

It hurt. A lot. Oh..._Jeezus!_... did it ever. I cried out sharply in pain, but he held it there, waiting for me to calm down. I struggled to move away, off of him, but he grabbed onto my hips and held me still. "You are fine," he reassured me. Yeah right. Trying to adjust to the unique feeling of him inside me, I tried to relax again. I was absolutely willing myself to do it. I knew that my tension was causing it to hurt more than it probably should. I had expected there to be some pain, however, just not this bad. Why didn't he let me move off of him? "Spock…" I gasped out.

"Leonard," he soothed. "Please trust me."

After a few minutes, he slowly slid in a little more. I tensed up again, then caught it and forced myself to relax again. He inched in a little more. I tensed again. This was going to take a lot of getting used to.

"Tell me what you are feeling," he said, softly.

"Don't…you…already...know?"

"I wish you to vocalize it."

"It's not too bad." To my embarrassment, my voice cracked on that last word. Immediately knowing I was being untruthful, he pulled out of me then positioned me to lay on my right side. Spooning me, he held me close for a few minutes enveloping his arms around me.

I lay back into his arms, feeling his chest hair tickle the back of my neck.

I laughed ruefully. I was actually trembling. "God… I'm sorry," I smiled. He didn't answer me, but caressed my hair for a few long moments with long fingers. "Go on. Try it again," I insisted.

I guess was, by now, determined to get through this.

Pulling my leg over his, he applied, (very generously I noted) more lubricant, then with a hand he centered his cock on my asshole once again, and gently pushed his head in. This time it was better, alot more comfortable, and I let him get it in further.

"This is…immensely pleasurable…Leonard," he murmured.

He was feeling immense pleasure? Because of me. Upon hearing him tell me that, an intense wave of passion crashed over me. "Huhhh," I moaned. I relaxed immediately and let him get the rest of the way in. The pain dissipated and his cock inside me started to feel really… really good. I moaned louder as his penis suddenly hit my prostate. The prostate putting pressure on the back of my penis felt like nothing I'd ever experienced before.

I couldn't believe I'd never done this before.

Spock continued to gently thrust into me, continuing the rub on my gland with a slow steady pace. I felt his hand closing around my cock.

I was touched by the care he was taking with me. He wasn't letting passion overtake him; he was going slowly. Though, now, he could go a little faster...Oh! Now he was. He could tell instantly what I was feeling and obey my commands.

"Yes, I can," he confirmed, out loud.

The motion of us together propelled his hand clasped around my penis. It was wonderful to hear soft moans coming from him, first sporadically, then continuously. That low voice of his, making noises I'd never heard him make before, joined with the sounds I was making, was highly arousing. Knowing I was the reason for his moans pushed me closer and closer to climax.

I came first, gasping a: "Ohhgod…" probably waaaaay too loudly... then about two seconds after me, he came too, inside me, clutching me and gasping.

He lay his head on my sweaty shoulder for a long while, then as he got soft, he gently pulled out of me. Both of us fell back onto the bed.

He scooped me up and I lay in his arms, exhausted and satiated. I realized that I'd climaxed twice in one night. I'd never done that before. Ever. Never before had sex felt so… "Spock, that was wonderful…" I murmured and drifted off to sleep.

I woke up, looked over at the chrono, gazed over at him and snuggled closer to the sleeping Spock. I wanted to keep waking up and snuggling closer. It was bliss. I felt so loved and cared for. I fell asleep again. This was what I always wanted. Never to be alone again.

I woke up again; checked the chrono. Two hours till I had to go on duty. Noted that I was held firmly ensconced in the sleeping Spock's arms. I gently touched his face to wake him up. "Spock..."

"Hmmm?" came the dozy baritone voice in the dark.

"That was wonderful."

________________

END OF CHAPTER 9


	10. Chapter 10

Title: The Runes (chapter 10)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes: TOS, S/Mc, rated M (for explicit sex)

see previous chapters for author's notes

_______________________________________

In Spock's quarters, I handed over the Rune I'd chosen for tonight.

"Fascinating." He closed his fist over it.

"What?" I asked impatiently. "What is it?"

"a'T'lehsai. Use of an object to facilitate lovemaking," he replied.

"Sex, again?" I groaned and cradled my head in my hands. He looked at me askance, till I chuckled, "I'm just kidding. So, sex utilizing an object, huh?" This was getting more and more interesting. "It shouldn't be the same object we've used before during just foreplay, correct?"

"Affirmative. However I am at a total loss as to what we should use… this time."

I came over and slid my arms around him. "It should be...something sensual," I breathed.

"I have nothing suitable in my quarters for us to use."

I thought back to my shore leave exploits on Barengaria and on Wrigley's. "I know what we could use!" For some reason I was very excited about this. "Hang on. I'm nipping over to my cabin; I'll be back in seven minutes," I said, then added. "Seven point two to be exact."

I saw his eyes dart up to the ceiling at my choice of words as I darted out of the doors. My laughter trailing out with me.

I was back in five.

"Hey, look what I've got," I pulled a little something out from my medi-kit. (Well I didn't know where else to stick it while I transported it over here) "If Jim Kirk knew I had this--"

"What is it?" Spock gazed at the cooing little ball of fur in my hands. He was as intrigued as I knew he would be.

"Why my dear Mister Spock." I flashed him my most seductive, sultry smile. "This little ball of fluff is called a tribble."

"A tribble?" He continued to stare at it, entranced by the purring. I placed it into his hands. "I… am unfamiliar with such an..."

"This is an animal, Spock."

"I see that, Leonard. However, it is unlike any one I have ever seen. How does it eat or breathe?"

"I don't know, I haven't figured that out yet," I chuckled. Spock stared down at it, then immediately started to pet it. It was as if he was in a trance. I nodded as I noticed the effect it was having on him. "Well Spock, the Rune didn't specify if it had to be an inanimate or an animate object, did it?"

"What is its function?" Spock asked as he continued to pet it.

"Does everything have to have a damn function to you?"

"Yes."

"Its purpose, Mister Spock, besides staying alive, is that it loves."

"Loves?"

"Sure `nough," I confirmed in the thickest drawl this side of Atlanta. Then I asked him sweetly, "Have you ever made love… using a… tribble?"

"No… I have never--" He couldn't finish. He was entranced by the trilling noise. "I have… never...." He swallowed, hard. "Is this not--considered---"

"Bestiality?" I finished his thought. "Well, maybe it is," I chuckled. "Well....no...not really. We`re not having sex with it. Just using it to have sex."

"There is…a difference?"

"Don't think about it."

"Len?"

Len. He must really be out of it. "Yes?"

"I am… finding it difficult to form any… coherent thought."

I laughed. "Yeah...I know. There's a tranquilizing effect in the trilling noise. Directly affects your central nervous system. Don't worry; it wears off in a few minutes if you put it down. I've examined it already with a tricorder. The effects are not permanently damaging, not even to that Vulcan brain of yours."

He kept on petting the soft brown fur even as he said, "A tranquilizing effect? Yes...I find that I am severely… affected by this creature."

"I know," I smiled, evilly. "More so than I was."

"How...how… did you acquire this?"

"From a prostitute on Berengaria," I said innocently.

He looked up me with an undisguised shocked expression, not even trying to hide his emotions anymore. "A prostitute gave you this?"

"Yeah, this is what I found in my pocket, instead of my credit chip."

He swallowed. "I see."

"And being as she helped herself to my credit chip and I`m still upset about it the more I think about it, I figured I'd better put this little tribble to good use. Right, Mister Spock?"

He swallowed again. "I do not know...I am not certain..."

I came closer to him. "Spock, do you trust me?"

"Implicitly."

That hit me right there. Somehow that was the greatest compliment anyone had ever given me. Especially since it came from Spock. "Want to try something probably a little out of your comfort zone, but some harmless fun?"

"Fun," he repeated.

"Yeah. But I know you're able to tell what I'm thinking at the moment, so can you block out my thoughts for a little while? Block my thoughts out. Completely."

"If you wish."

"Then do it, and hurry up." He eyed me suspiciously, then reluctantly disengaged a hand from the tribble and placed that hand on his temple for a few seconds.

I put my arms on his shoulders as he resumed petting the tribble. "Now. You won't be able to anticipate every time I touch you tonight."

He raised an eyebrow. "What have you got in mind?"

"Shhhhh," I commanded. I pushed him backwards, him still holding onto my dear little tribble; pushed him all the way back into the sleeping chamber and down onto his bed. I climbed on top and straddled him.

"Are you still blocking me out?" I asked. He nodded again. I fished a black cloth out of the medi-kit that still hung at my waist. I tied the cloth around his eyes, blindfolding him.

To test his vision, I waved my hand in front of his eyes, then suddenly dove my hand underneath his tunic and tee-shirt, causing him to twinge perceptively. I smiled, satisfied. I took off my medi-kit and gently lay it down on the bedside table and removed my uniform. I wanted to get all of that out of the way. I let my boots slowly and deliberately drop out of my hands and onto the deck, one right after the other, so he could hear it and know what it signified. I saw his breathing increase slightly in response and he waited, expectantly.

"Keep petting the tribble," I commanded. He obeyed. I didn't have to order him twice. "Are you okay?" I asked.

He breathed. When he finally spoke his voice was dozy and pitched higher than usual. "I am blind. In more ways than one. I cannot sense your thoughts with your touch. The effect is slightly disquieting, but tolerable. From the tribble...I feel a...large sensation...of...of... pleasure and calmness radiating up to my cerebral cortex from my spine."

"Good," I said. Amused at the long winded response to my simple question. I pulled the zipper down at his neck then swiftly removed his blue tunic and the black t-shirt and then tossed them both very deliberately onto the deck. He had released his hold on the little breathing ball of hair only to facilitate their removal, and then once again he stroked the creature, as I'd commanded him to.

I looked at the rise and fall of his bare chest as I caressed the black hair on his sternum. I felt him jump again. "I keep catching you by surprise, do I?"

"I am--"

"Quiet," I said. I traced a finger down the thin strip of hair to rest on his belly. I watched him as he slowly stroked my little tribble.

Yes of course, I was already aroused as hell and I noted that the same thing was happening to him, I could see the trapped erection in the black trousers he still wore. But I wasn't going to remove his, not yet.

I took the tribble out of his hands and gently set it on the bedside table as I bent down to kiss him. At first he was startled by the contact then responded to me, rather hungrily, I might add.

I roughly pulled away from him.

I thought for a moment, then decided to just go ahead and do it. I pulled out some restraints that I had in my kit for patients that fought me; remembering that once or twice I'd even had to use them on him in the past. But, this time would be different.

I tied his wrists to each side of the bunk.

"Have you done this before?" he managed.

"What, in bed? No I haven't," I whispered back. "But, I've always wanted to try something like this."

With Spock now properly restrained and blindfolded to my satisfaction, and him appearing... oh.... so very vulnerable, I picked up the tribble. Still straddling Spock, I touched the ball of warm breathing fur to his face, very gently running it down his cheek, under his chin, to the other side. I heard a low gasp come from him and saw his arms flex against the restraints. Excellent. The tribble started to coo louder, it obviously liked all this attention too.

"Are you enjoying my little tribble, Spock?" I asked him softly.

"Hmmmm," he murmured. I kept up rubbing his face with the tribble, over his lips and dragged it up to tease his ear. He leaned into the sensation, moaning softly. I couldn't get over that. The sound of his soft little moans of pleasure. As I was stroking his ear with the tribble, I traced other ear tip with my fingers. I saw him flex against the restraints again, and moan softly again. Taking his ear into my mouth, I alternated sucking on his ear and tickling the other ear with the tribble.

"Leonard," he gasped. "I cannot--"

"Shhhh, you're doing fine." I did back off a little bit, to allow him time to recover from the sensation, then I dove in again. Just so I could hear him moan again, softly. This time I also got from him a sharp intake of breath.

Lying down along side of him, I pulled his face over and covered his mouth with mine, biting down hard on his lower lip as I traced the ball of fur down his neck to his chest, circling the nipples I could never see because of all that black chest hair.

I moved the tribble down to his belly, then back up to his pectorals, then back down to the belly. His penis moved in response, trapped by his trousers, diverting my attention. I could tell he was so very achingly, hard, as I was. I detected the telltale spot of pre-cum, but I wasn't going to touch him there, not yet. I traced the tribble up one of his bound up arms, to his fingertips. Somehow that was more intense for him then it being on his chest. He gave a soft cry out.

"Okay?" I pulled it away for a bit. I wanted to pleasure him, not torture him. He nodded. "Want me to touch your fingers again?"

He nodded.

"Ask me, Spock."

Without missing a beat, he asked. "Will you touch my fingers again?"

I giggled. Yes I did, this time. "Do you like that, T'hy'la?"

He nodded again. I complied and slid the soft little tribble up his other arm, tickling the hair under his armpit, then up his forearm to his wrist, to his long fingers. He writhed and moaned again. Then I slid it down, to his chest to his other arm, up to the fingers.

God, we could do this all evening, just this. However I knew it was starting to be too much for him.

I decided to finally pull off his trousers. In the meantime I rested the little ball of fur on his belly, watched as it moved across his body on its own. I say, move, because I don't know how the tribble propelled itself. Walked? I don't know. I smiled at that. Meanwhile, I busied myself with divesting Spock of the rest of his uniform, especially his underwear.

I heard his voice, very high pitched, very soft, suddenly say, "Leonard. I need a release. Touch me."

"Where?" I asked.

"You know where," he gasped.

"No...I don't know," I teased. I slid the fluffy tribble down his hips, avoiding his penis, then down one of his legs, all the while hearing his moans get louder. Then I moved it down to his feet. As as I tickled them, he jerked them, nearly kicking me in the face. "Careful," I chuckled.

"My apologies," he panted.

"Shhhh." I moved up his other leg, again avoiding his cock then down the other leg, to the other foot. He seemed to be beyond caring what I thought or whoever heard in the next cabin and was starting to moan even louder. "For fuck's sake, be quiet...Jim might hear you," I shushed him.

"Leonard," he repeated. "I need a release."

"When I get good and ready, Spock."

"Leonard."

"I want you to beg," I insisted.

He paused and said very softly: "Leonard, I cannot. I fear...I fear...I am losing my dignity."

Dignity? Dignity? That's a laugh. "Spock, you and I both left our dignity at the door when we decided to use these Runes. Now," I said. "Do what I wish or you won't get anything."

"What…what…" He still couldn't form a sentence without stuttering apparently. "What…"

"Beg me," I demanded. And smiled. Like the devil himself. "Go on. I want to hear you beg. Now."

"Leonard..."

I picked up the tribble and held it away from him. "Beg me, or you get nothing."

"Leonard..." He flexed against the restraints.

"Do it!" I demanded.

"Please, give me a release," he said. "Please." I paused and looked at him. He groaned. "Please."

I chuckled. "That was very nice of you to ask. T'hy'la." Now. I decided to end his misery. However, at this point, I was unsure. Do I touch his cock with the tribble? Is this crossing the line into bestiality? Do I dare? Who cares? I went ahead and set the tribble back down onto his belly.

I watched my darling little tribble move on its own, slowly, down to his thigh. It moved very close to the vicinity of his black pubic hair. As I saw him once again flex against the restraints, It gave me a thrill to see how he was powerless to do anything to help the situation, he could not touch himself or me, as bound up as he was. His arms flexed again and I heard him groan even louder. "Do you like that sensation, Spock?" I cooed. So did my little tribble.

"Yes..."

"Tell me how much you like my tribble, or I pick it back up."

"I like your tribble a great deal," he gasped.

"A 'great deal' doesn't sound very logical my dear Mister Spock," I chuckled.

I rewarded him, by picking up my dear little tribble, and rubbing her soft little fur onto the length of his penis.

He jerked his head back and came instantly with a strangled cry out, his cock jerking hard and shooting a large amount of wetness onto his stomach. As all of this was going on, he managed to free an arm, ostensibly to reach for me, but instead brought it down viciously onto my face, effectively punching my lights out.

I flew off the bed and collapsed onto the deck along with the bedclothes into a tangled heap.

I believe was actually out for a few seconds, maybe a few minutes... I don't know. "Shit..." I muttered in a daze as I dabbed at my eye.

"Are you injured? I cannot see you." He felt around for me, till I sat up and grabbed his hand.

"Damn lunatic." I untied his other arm and took off his blindfold.

"I have injured you, Leonard," he noticed, eyes wide and fingers reaching out to touch my face. "I apologize."

Laughing hysterically I said, "I guess that's what I get for tying you up!" I could feel the spreading warmth on my face where it was starting to swell up.

"You should have it attended to in sickbay."

"What? Now? Are you kidding me? I have my kit here. I'll take care of it...later." I took the tribble off of Spock's belly. "Good girl," I cooed at it, kissed my tribble and laid it very carefully on the bedside table.

I reached over, grabbed a towel to mop up Spock's belly and to pick up the new lube Spock had made up the other day.

I opened the tube and allowed the scent of the lovely spices to waft though my nose. "Now..." I commanded as I looked down at my still very prominent erection. "Flip over, Spock..."

"Doctor McCoy."

"Hmmmm?" I looked up directly into the face of Geoffrey M'Benga.

"You were a million light-years away just now."

I looked around the deck 7 science lab and to where I was standing, at my microscope studying slides of the various flora and fauna found on Celus IV.

I chuckled at him and touched my eye. It still hurt from last night.

----------------

"Morning Jim." I nodded politely at the captain as he joined me in the lift.

"Hi Bones." He graced me with the biggest smile I`d ever seen from him. "Coming up to the bridge?"

"Yeah, why not?" We rode on in silence for a few moments.

"Wonder where Spock is this morning," Jim said casually. "I didn't see him at breakfast."

I grew quiet for a moment, suddenly found myself searching inward, found myself replying: "He's in the hydroponics lab." My eyes widened. How the hell did I know that? Spock hadn't told me where he was going this morning before his shift. "He will be present on the bridge in four point three minutes," I added, succinctly.

"Oh," said Jim. "Thanks." He studied me. Then he said, again very casually: "I've missed playing chess with him, but he's been rather…you know. Busy."

I was getting sick of this already. "Jim," I said. "Do you remember our conversation from the other day? I meant what I'd said before. Spock and I are sleeping together. Okay?"

He laughed. Laughed! "Bones. Please."

"Jim!" I insisted. What the hell was his damn problem? Was he that obtuse? My voice getting a little louder, I snapped: "Jim...listen to me... I'm not joking!"

Just then, the lift doors opened up to the bridge.

And...right before walking out, Jim turned to me and hissed into my ear: "Don't you think I already... fucking know that... LEONARD?"

With his face this close to mine, I could see the pain radiating from his eyes.

I gaped at him, stunned. I watched him turn on his heel and exit curtly, leaving me gaping in his wake. I felt about four centimeters tall.

I stumbled over, punched the button to close the lift doors and immediately rode back down to the Sickbay.

------------------

I entered Spock's quarters after a long thirteen hour shift. Still absolutely seething. "Spock!"

"I am in the shower," he called out, calmly. I already knew that, but I didn't want to know that.

I stalked into his bathroom. "Jim knows!"

"If you will be patient, Leonard, I shall discuss that with you when I have completed my ablutions. Unless you wish to join me in the shower."

"No. I do not wish to join you in the shower, Spock!" I stalked out of the bathroom and went over to Spock's desk to dig around for his data-chip. I needed some eye drops; my eyes were killing me. "Where the hell's your fucking chip, Spock?"

He came out and stood behind me. "Where it usually is. Right here." He picked it up and handed it to me. Glaring daggers at him I made a selection from the stores.

When I turned around again, I realized that Spock was completely nude. I found myself lost in thought, staring at his body, then becoming highly aroused. Then remembered I was still angry. I pulled my scanner out of my medi-kit and aimed it at him. I looked at it and frowned. His heart rate was slightly elevated. Was that because I was here with him, or was it because of some other reason...

"I want some answers out of you. Everyone on this ship is acting bizarrely," I snapped. "You, Jim. Especially me. I don't feel like myself. I've been having strange dreams. I'm also obsessing about sex with you. When I'm supposed to be on duty, I'm fantasizing about you."

"Fascinating."

I paced the length of the cabin, pausing once in awhile to shoot a glare at him. "No it's not 'fascinating'. Worrying is what it is. I'm slowly not being able to function properly. And… what's worse, I can sense where you are in the ship. I can feel your location, without you telling me where you`re going. How do I know that, Spock?"

He didn't answer me.

"Spock! What the hell is going on with you? Jim already knows about us."

"Of course," he replied. My eyes widened as he continued: "You are aware that Jim's quarters are right next door."

"He can hear us. I figured that. He was telling me as much in an indirect way. Probably because you make so much goddamn noise in bed!"

"As do you."

I studied Spock. He seemed very unconcerned about it all. He pulled me into his arms.

"Don't you care?" I tried to pull away from him but he held on very tightly. And when Spock held me tightly there was no getting away.

"Am I concerned that the captain knows about us? No," he replied calmly.

There was something that had been bugging me all day, and now was the time to confront him about it. "Spock? There's something going on...between...you and Jim. Isn't there."

"We have more Runes to get through," he replied.

I finally managed to push him away from me. "Were you lovers?" I asked. Then I realized... "Wait a minute....you still are. Is that it? Am I right? I get to have you just until these Runes are over and done with, then he gets to have you back. Isn't that right? Mister Spock?" I found myself screaming at him. "Isn't that right, you fucking bastard--"

"Calm yourself, Doctor."

"Why is your heart rate and adrenalin up?"

"Time grows short," he said.

My hands flew up. I felt myself starting to panic. "If I didn't know better I would swear you're slipping into pon farr again."

"Take a shower," he ordered. His eyes flashed in anger.

"No!" I shouted. "Answer me! You're conveniently using me to satisfy your sexual urges, good thing I found these Runes. Huh? No wonder you were so keen on using them with me!"

"Take a shower. Now is not the time for this discussion."

"No." I said defiantly. "I will not. You bastard! Why didn't you tell me about Jim?"

"Leonard," he said softly, pulling me close again and bringing a hand up to caress my hair. "I am NOT his lover. I will explain many things to you, however, now is not the time. We have another Rune to get though, which we must do, before 2400. Do you understand?" I stared a long time at him. I found myself calming down and capitulating. "Fine," I said. "I'll take a damn shower." I went towards the bathroom.

--------------------

I entered Spock's quarters.

I knew he wasn't there. I knew he was still up on the bridge. I tried not to think about him though. I took the opportunity to finish some work at his terminal and slowly finish writing some of my overdue reports.

After about an hour of this my eyes started to go buggy. I'd spent too long in the sickbay and now I was pushing it. Before I signed off, I noticed something on the right hand side of the monitor. Labeled `The Runes`.

I hesitated, then clicked on it.

And read.

And read

And read some more.

My blood went cold at what I'd read but I forced myself to finish the document.

Stumbling up, my mind reeling, I closed down the monitor and went to bed trying to process the information.

Somehow, I must have dozed off. Because a short while later my eyes shot open.

I knew he was in the corridor outside. The doors swooshed, he entered, walked over and sat down at the foot of the bed. I continued to lay there for awhile, eyes closed, wanting to ask him about what I'd read. Wondering if he'd knew I'd seen it. Expecting him any minute to say something, to join me in bed. I wondered if he knew I wasn't asleep.

But, he just sat there.

Staring into nothingness.

I propped up onto my elbows and caught a glimpse of him in the low light, sitting there at the foot of the bed, still in uniform.

He continued to just sit there. "Spock?" I attempted, very softly.

He behaved as if he hadn't heard me and kept staring off. This was totally unlike him. "Spock?" I said a little louder. He turned to me, shocked, for an instant, his normal control slipped.

For an instant I saw in his eyes…cold fear.

Then the control was back, like nothing had happened. He said nothing to me. He just sat there. I was at a loss as to what I should do. Do I comfort him, or not? I wanted to ask him about the document. But something held me back.

"Spock?" I ventured again.

After a few more long moments of silence, I made a decision.

I shifted to sit behind him and simply... put my arms around him.

______________________

END OF CHAPTER 10


	11. Chapter 11

Title: The Runes (Chapter 11)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes: TOS, S/Mc, rated M for explicit m/m sex

________________________________________________

I kissed him, gently, then lubed up. I was achingly hard. I centered myself at his anus, grabbed onto his hips and tried to push in, but he was tense. I couldn't even get the head in. "Spock…relax for me… let it happen…" He did let it happen. Let me all the way in, in one stroke. His snug, super warmth around my cock felt wonderful. It was hotter than I was used to, almost too hot for comfort. I was nervous for a short moment that I wouldn't be able to handle it, but I slowly got used to him. During my initial explorations inside him, my finger had discovered his prostate. I shifted angle to hit it. Very gently at first I thrust into him, I didn't want to hurt him, then I went a little faster. He arched his back, gasped, then moaned softly, then louder and louder. My moans matched his. The only sound in the cabin were the ones made by us--

"Prepare to leave orbit around Celus IV, Mr. Sulu." Captain Kirk's voice rang out, breaking though my delightful daydream. "Plot course to Gamma Trianguli VI."

We were off to our next assignment. "Should be nice…heard it's a paradise," I muttered, not a little wistfully. I still missed my shore leave on Barengaria.

"Course plotted and laid in, sir," Sulu called out.

"At our rate of speed, estimated arrival, two standard weeks," Spock announced.

"Doctor McCoy." Jim directed his attention over to where I was leaning very nonchalantly against the red railing in front of the science/library station. "Have you managed to finish your report of the Celus IV plant survey?" he enquired of me, coldly.

I had, of course, noticed that since our little confrontation in the lift the other day, he'd avoided calling me `Bones', or `Doc' or anything other than a curt `Doctor McCoy'.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean, Jim?" I hissed underneath my breath. "Of course I've managed to finish it." I flashed him an equally frosty glare. "I wouldn't be up here, wasting time, if I hadn't."

"Then how about heading down to the sickbay and fetching it for me?"

"Certainly, sir," I snapped back. "I'll have that sent up to you in five minutes. Captain."

I spun around to Spock. At that very same instant, he turned from the library station. We gazed at each other for a long moment. I felt Jim's eyes in my back, waiting.

I turned back to Jim, my face wrinkled into a scowl for an instant. I gathered up what remaining dignity I had, and exited the bridge.

I headed down to my office….to finish that report.

-------------------------

I handed Spock the Rune.

Closing his fist over it, he suddenly got what appeared to be a mischievous glint in his eye. "Tonight, I shall surprise you my thy'la."

I groaned. "Surprise me? Forget it. I don't like surprises."

"You used to," he remarked.

"Well I don't anymore. Just tell me what it says to do and let's do it. I'm not in the mood for games," I snapped.

I'd found I was doing a lot of that lately: snapping at him. And at Geoff M'Benga, at Jim Kirk—though he was equally touchy with me, and at Nurse Chapel, and at whoever got in my way. I felt increasingly on edge.

I rubbed my eyes. God they were killing me.

Spock studied me intently then pulled me into his grasp. I struggled to get away, but of course, I couldn't. Lightly at first, then passionately, he planted kisses on my resisting mouth, till I pulled away. "Just tell me what it says," I insisted.

"You shall enjoy it more if I do not disclose what it is."

"Dammit! Stop teasing me!" I yelled. He sighed and gave me almost a dejected look. I flopped down on his bunk, fully clothed. "Fine. Whatever. I don't care anymore. I'm just along for the ride, it seems."

He sat down next to me. "Self pity. How very unattractive. I believe--"

"I don't give a shit what you believe anymore," I sulked. "Just hurry up so we can be done for the night so I can go to sleep and you can go on duty."

"You are angry that I must stand third watch tonight," he observed.

"Yeah," I admitted with a wry smile. Spock hadn't stood a third watch, affectionately known as the `graveyard shift' since we'd started with the Runes. It was bizarre. Why was I so worried about it? I was a big boy, I should be able to sleep without him next to me. I didn't want to.

As I lay there continuing to sulk, Spock made short work of pulling off my uniform, then stood up to remove his own. I didn't bother to watch him strip like I normally did.

"You intend to be passive, T'hy'la," he purred. "Then that is exactly what you shall be, tonight."

I dozed off in the warmth of Spock's cabin. "Yeah fine…whatever…" I felt his weight as he straddled me. "Ease off a little," I murmured.

Maybe I should put him on a damn diet card, like I did this week to the captain. Come to think of it, perhaps that's another reason why Jim's being so pissy with me. I mean, the stress of finding out his beloved Spock is now screwing his Chief Medical Officer compounded by the fact that he has to eat salads for a month, must be absolutely galling to him. Well, besides the fact that I've been day dreaming my life away instead of performing my duties.

Maybe Jim'll end up having me transferred off ship. Maybe that wouldn't be too bad an idea.

Maybe I should put in for a transfer after this Rune business is all over and done with. Maybe Jim--

My mournful reverie was interrupted by the sensation of a hot mouth on the head of my cock. I opened my eyes to see Spock crouched over me.

"Hello, Leonard." He looked up with a devilish glint in his eyes.

"Is that what the surprise is? A blowjob? Big deal." I closed my eyes again and pretended not to enjoy it. However my hardening penis was giving me away.

His tongue slid around my head, reached the nerve endings in the back and I squirmed a little. His tongue, expertly, (yeah, expertly) rubbed those nerve endings in the back of my cock. I was now achingly hard. I moaned and with the tip of his finger he circled the pre-cum around the head. His mouth sunk down, swallowing me up to the hilt. That felt so good that I nearly popped off right there, but sensing this, he pulled up and off. He waited for me to come back from the edge then swallowed me again.

Then he pulled up and suddenly ordered: "Leonard, lie on your stomach."

"No…don't…" I protested, for about two seconds. I finally gave in and rolled over.

He pulled me up to all fours; I grimaced and waited. It wasn't that I was totally adverse to him being inside me, I just didn't like it as much as I did being inside him. But if he wanted it that way, tonight, then he wanted it. I tried to relax as I waited for him to get lubed up.

Except, he didn't do what I'd expected him to. He caressed my ass then crouched under me to put the head of my cock into his mouth. Ohhh... that was good. That was damn good. I arched my back and moaned. He pulled his mouth away, continued stroking me with a hand then took up kissing and running his teeth down my ass. I drew my ass up into that sensation as I thrust down into his hand.

His tongue slid down into the space between my cheeks. Further and further down. And, I'll be damned if that Vulcan didn't start rimming me; gently pulling my cheeks apart and circling his tongue round and round my anus. This was a completely unique sensation that I'd never experienced before in my life. It was wonderful.

"Ohhhh yes," I moaned. "Yes, Spock." He slid a tongue in. "Ohhhhh, yes…" I encouraged him as he slid his tongue in deeper and deeper, as far as it would go. The sounds of my little cries filled the cabin.

More unintelligible sounds came out of my mouth as he continued sliding his tongue in and out of me. It brought me crashing up to the edge. "Spock," I gasped. "I can't hold off… " He hummed in response and the heat of his breath on my perineum, paired with low voice and his hot tongue inside pushed me to come hard, squirting all over the bed sheet. I collapsed down, avoiding the wet spot, panting heavily.

He spooned up next to me and held me for many blissful minutes as I recovered. That had felt so good; I couldn't believe it.

I finally looked over at him and smiled.

He nodded. The corners of his mouth turned up as he gave me one of those famous `smiling without actually smiling' expressions.

"Is that what the Rune ordered?" I finally managed.

"It is a blank Rune," he replied.

I yawned. "What does that mean?"

"It means that one of us can pick the night's activity."

"I think you're full of shit, Spock…you're making this up as we go along." However at this point, it didn't really matter. He lay down next to me, caressing my body.

There was a look in his eyes that unnerved me.

He shifted to lie on top of me. He arranged my legs over his shoulders and without a word, lubed up. He centered his cock against my now unresisting body and slid himself in.

------------------

The chrono read: 22:45. I reclined on Spock's bunk and watched him anxiously as he moved elegantly across his quarters, showering, then calmly put on a clean uniform. He stood at the mirror calmly combing his sleek black hair. From the looks of him you would have never thought even a strand had ever been out of place.

However, the more I thought about things the more I felt queasy. Tonight something had felt very, very wrong. I felt the whole situation spinning out of my control.

I hadn't really wanted him on top, tonight. Sure, he had been gentle enough with me. But I had noticed that lately whatever Spock wanted, Spock got.

I'd never seen that look of lust from him before. I hated to think it was Pon Farr but I knew instinctively that we'd set something off. It had to be that.

There was something else, much worse. As much as I tried to, I couldn't hide any emotions from him, anymore. I knew he could also read all of my thoughts. It was most likely a by-product from all the intimacy. But it left me feeling violated.

I would be damned glad when these Runes were finally finished. We would be done with the sex for good. We would hopefully get back to our normal lives. But what was supposed to be a normal life for us? How did we go back to being just friends after this? I for one wouldn't be able to look him in the eyes. I would always remember this.

He turned to go.

"Spock," I quickly called out from the bedchamber.

"Goodnight, Leonard."

What? No good night kiss? Nothing? I stood up from his bunk and walked into the office. I was completely nude. I used to be rather bashful about a sex partner seeing me naked, but no more. I made sure he got a good look at me in the low light of the cabin.

It felt a little strange for me to walk into the office chamber, like this. He stared at me. I must admit I now got a perverted pleasure in him seeing the body who kept him warm at night; the body that he was deliberately ignoring right now. The body that he had no more than a couple hours ago, drained all his seed into.

"May I suggest, Leonard," he said, evenly, "that you shower before falling asleep in my bunk. Please change the sheets, as well."

"Spock," I replied hotly, folding my arms. "I'll do one better! I'll take a shower, then, fall asleep in my own bunk! How's that?!"

His expression was stone. "I prefer that you remain here."

"Fuck you!" I spat. I rushed to the sleep chamber, picked up my uniform off the floor and pulled it on.

He was on me in a flash, grabbing onto my wrists. "Leonard," he whispered, "do not do this. Not now."

It hurt where he was grabbing me, but I didn't cry out; I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that he was causing me any pain. I stared back, stoically. Challenging him. "Do what you want to me, Spock. Isn't that what you always do?"

He released me. "Leonard."

"You knew I didn't want to be penetrated. You did it anyway."

He nodded. "I know. May we discuss this later?" I again saw the fear in his eyes.

I finally nodded and watched him sullenly as he stepped out.

-------------------

The first thing I notice is the smell. I feel the hairs on the back on my neck stand up. That is my only physical response. I inch my way into the overheated cabin. It is no use calling out…I know what I will find. But I still hold onto some irrational hope. As I get closer to the shower, the distinct sickly sweet metallic odor of blood gets stronger… I enter the bathroom, and finally the shower stall. I kneel down among the coagulated pools of blood and feel for the pulse at the neck. Nothing. I feel where the heart is located…nothing. The skin does not yield to my touch. Rigor is beginning to set in… death occurred approximately…14 hours ago. My scanner out…I check for possible minute brain function…nothing… from a precursory visual exam… I can tell the victim has been stabbed at least twenty- eight times along with an initial fatal slash wound at the neck, severing the carotid--

"SPOCK! Who did this to you!?" I screamed. I snapped awake, sweating and panting heavily. I sat up. It was dark here in Spock's quarters. I ordered the lights up. Oddly they would not function.

As I became fully awake, I realized that Spock was still on duty on the bridge. I could feel him there. I didn't know how I could. But, I could. He was safe and sound. I rubbed my eyes.

I glanced over at the demon-like creature on the fire pot. It's red light was the only thing illuminating the cabin. It was always there on Spock's ledge; that fire-pot. Funny, I never noticed it having that expression before. It seemed to be staring straight at me.

An eerie chill moved through my bones. I turned away.

Just then the buzzer sounded. I checked the chrono: 04:01. Who the hell would it be at this hour?

It was Jim Kirk.

"Bones?" He walked in with a bottle of Saurian Brandy and made himself at home by sitting down at the foot of the bed. He stared at me. I could make out his blank stare in the red light. I swiftly pulled the strewn about bedclothes over me for modesty's sake, realizing that I still was completely nude. In the warmth of this cabin, I always slept in the nude.

Now, I felt oddly vulnerable. Jim Kirk never sat on my bed. Maybe he always did that with Spock.

"Jim?" I croaked.

"Yes?" He continued to stare at me, calmly.

"Spock's on duty," I said.

"I know that," he replied.

"So… what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," he said, still staring at me intently. "I wanted to apologize."

"At this hour? Can't it wait till later?"

"No. It can't," he said softly, still staring at me.

"Something wrong, Jim?"

"Just came by to talk, that's all," he replied. He held up the brandy. "Have a drink with me."

"Now, Jim?"

"Uh huh," he said.

Maybe Jim couldn't sleep. Maybe something actually was bothering him and he needed a friend. "Just a minute," I sighed. I rose up from the bunk pulling the sheet with me. Even with my back turned, I knew that for an instant, he'd caught a glimpse of my naked body as I dropped the sheet on the floor to slip on Spock's black silk robe. I could feel Jim's eyes follow my every move.

With the Vulcan robe now `protecting' me, I padded out to the office area in my bare feet, waving Jim over to the desk. "Sit here, Jim," I said. He seemed to rise up off the bed with great difficulty.

Ah. I knew my best friend very well, and my observations of his behavior right now told me that our esteemed starship captain would be needing a hangover cure in the immediate future.

"Jim." I clucked my tongue disapprovingly. "I think you've had enough booze, but maybe I'll make myself a little drink." I'd cut way down on the alcohol ever since being robbed on Barengaria. But, maybe there wasn't any harm in having just one.

"Computer, Main cabin lights up to forty percent," I ordered. They still would not function.

"You still have a few hours before you go on duty," Jim said, oblivious. "Have a drink. That's an order," he chuckled.

I chuckled too. "Sure, why not?." I fetched a glass and took the bottle of Saurian Brandy out of Jim's hands. Pouring the liquid into the glass, I mused, "So let me guess, you were feeling a little guilty about the way you've been treating your kindly old doctor lately. You couldn't sleep, so you thought you'd have a few too many then come on over and pester me." I drained the entire glass of brandy, then poured myself another.

He didn't respond to my comment. He just stared at me, blankly. I laughed feebly and got up from the desk. I felt the crisp silk of Spock's robe fluttering around me as I went over to Spock's dressing table and picked up a bottle of eye drops. I gazed into the mirror as I put the soothing liquid into my bloodshot eyes.

God, my eyes were killing me.

I felt Jim's presence right behind me. His voice seemed to be right in my ear. "What's the matter? Eyes hurt?"

"Yeah. I need to have them checked out by M'Benga. Maybe they didn't heal prop--" I stopped and stared into the mirror. I couldn't see Jim. I should have been able to, even in the low light of Spock's firepot, but I couldn't see him. I spun around in alarm. "Jim? You have no reflection in the mirror."

"Probably just your eyes playing tricks on you."

That must be it. The acid spill really did do a number on them.

Suddenly I noticed a strange odor wafting in. "What's that smell?" I demanded

"Smell? The spicy- flowery scent? It always smells like that in here, Bones. Doesn't it? You should know. You seem to be spending a lot of time in here."

"It smells like copper… or even…urine." I finished up with the eye drops and sniffed the air.

"No…I don't smell anything like that, Bones."

"I could swear…" I looked around the cabin, walked into the bed chamber, sniffing, and walked back to Jim. "It's all around Spock's quarters."

"Well, perhaps it's a malfunction in the heating duct, but it smells like Vulcan spice to me." He shrugged.

"Okay Jim. Fine. Let's talk, shall we?" I beckoned him over to the desk again.

He remained standing then creeped up a little closer to me. "He doesn't mind you wearing his robe?"

"No. Not really."

"Oh."

I studied him. "You didn't come over here at 04:00 just to ask me about Spock's robe."

"No."

I motioned for him to move back to the desk with me. I picked up my glass and drank a huge gulp of brandy. "Jim?"

"Yes?" He continued to stand there and stare at me.

"Just how much have you had to drink tonight?"

"Drink?"

"Yes. You appear to be highly inebriated," I said. "That's unusual. We aren't on leave." I'd had to carry this guy countless times out of bars on various planets. But on board ship he usually restrained himself to one or two drinks.

"I'm fine, Bones," he said softly.

I sighed and set my glass down. It made a soft tap in the quiet. "Uh, look," I said. "I know you're having a difficult time dealing with…" I made a wide gesture. "All of this going on."

He gazed at me.

"And, I want you to know," I continued. "That--very soon--you get to have him back."

He laughed. "That's very kind of you, Bones."

"As soon--"

"As soon as you're done fucking him," he finished the sentence for me. Then he laughed again. A very hollow, sinister laugh. That was not like Jim at all. Even a drunk Jim. "Isn't that right, Bones?" he asked.

I folded my arms around me. "Jim. Listen. I never meant for this to happen. I'm sorry that-- I'm sorry that we hurt you."

"I miss him."

"I know." I studied my bare feet. "I know you do."

"And, I miss you, Leonard," he said.

Uh... "Sure Jim. I miss you too. You and I haven't had a drink together in a while and I--"

He very quietly inched up even closer to me. "I've known you for fourteen years--"

"Yeah I know--"

"And I never…ever…knew that you liked men. In that way."

"I don't," I replied, honestly. "Not really."

He smiled. I guess not believing me for an instant.

Suddenly, there was a slight pinging noise. Probably the ventilation system. Jim turned his head to investigate and spotted the Runes in the corner, sitting there on Spock's ledge. I had thought they were on the bedside table. Perhaps Spock had moved them. Jim immediately made a bee-line for them. "What are these?"

I didn't feel like giving a long detailed explanation to a drunken Jim. "They're nothing."

"Nothing? They look like something." His hand hovered over the velvet bag.

"Please don't touch them, Jim. It's just a pretty trinket I bought on Barengaria Seven." It would be my rotten luck that he'd come into contact with them, and then I'd probably have to have sex with him too.

"Don't touch them? I'm the captain," he chuckled. However, he finally lost interest in them, luckily without laying a hand on them, and came closer to me. "Leonard."

I stepped back. "I think you should leave. Go back to your quarters. Sleep it off. I'll cert you too ill for duty and come see you later on in the day. Okay, Jim?"

He didn't obey. "What's the matter, Bones?"

"Nothing. I just--"

He leaned in even closer to me. Close enough to where I could smell his breath.

"That robe makes you look very--" He suddenly looked around him, shocked. "I'd better go home." He went towards the doors.

I got up and followed him. "That's a great idea. I'll come by and see you later on today. Here I'll give you back your brandy bottle, hang on." I turned away from him to pick up the bottle off the desk; turned back to where he was standing.

He was gone.

"Where'd he go?" I asked aloud; the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. My hand shook as I poured yet another drink. I downed it then poured myself another.

I would be damned glad when Spock came back.

As I finished up my brandy, I decided not to wait for Spock to return. I would go meet him on the bridge. There was no way I was going back to sleep. Not now.

I pulled on my uniform. The silk of my sickbay tunic was wrinkled from where it had laid folded up on Spock's dressing table. I didn't feel like spraying on anti-wrinkle, nobody would notice at this hour. Till the shift change at 06:00, it was still considered night watch, with a skeleton crew.

I strolled out into the darkened and deserted corridor and entered the lift.

Just then, James Kirk bounded into the lift. Eyes bright as a button and crisp as can be in his golden uniform. "Morning, Bones. Your uniform's wrinkled. More so than usual."

I started. "Jim? I just saw you a half hour ago. You were--"

"I was what?"

"You were…well… you were very drunk."

"When?" he chuckled, mildly.

"Just a half hour ago. You came to see me in Spock's quarters. Don't you remember? I suppose you're headed up to sickbay, wanting me to medically sober you up," I growled.

"Bones!" he snapped in his usual `I've had it with your bullshit' voice. "What the hell are you talking about? I've been in my quarters. Asleep."

"Oh..." I shook my head in bewilderment.

"Smells like you've had a lot to drink, Bones. In fact it looks like you can hardly see straight."

My head snapped up. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Late Reports. Daydreaming. Late for your shifts. Mistreatment of your staff. Now this. You're on report, Doctor McCoy," he snapped. "Report to sickbay and get yourself checked out."

"Yes sir."

_______________________

END OF CHAPTER 11


	12. Chapter 12

Title: The Runes (Chapter 12)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes: TOS, S/Mc (explicit slash) Rated M (for EXPLICIT m/m slash.)

________________________________________

THE RUNES (CHAPTER 12)

"What does it say?" I couldn't see it from my vantage point.

"Well sir, it appears that there's nothing physically wrong with you. However you are experiencing some fatigue." Christine Chapel hovered the Type II small scanner over me as I lay on the biobed. Then she looked up as she confirmed it with the findings on the bed scanner. "Normal physiological functioning, Doctor."

"Well," I snapped. "You're just a nurse. What the hell do you know?"

She jerked her eyes in my direction, stung. I imediately felt like a jerk. What had come over me to say that to her, my head nurse? I'd already been warned once by the captain.

"Of course, Doctor McCoy," she replied curtly. "I'll return to my duties, sir." She stalked away.

"Christine...I didn't mean..." I groaned in her wake. God dammit.

--------------------

According to Spock, the Rune said: utilize a sexual position that we hadn't tried before. Or something to that effect. I didn't know where he got this stuff, but nevertheless, we did it.

I started out by stripping for him slowly as he looked on. He seemed to enjoy watching me undress. I enjoyed undressing in front of him. Never used to. But now I did. I didn't know if it was because it was him watching me, or now I felt more comfortable in general. I pulled off my boots and let them thud onto the deck. I pulled off my silk tunic, held it up with one finger then let it fall, just like I'd seen a stripper do. There was no self conscious giggles from me, not anymore. Never again.

That look in his eyes as he watched me was pure concentration. Almost as if he was committing all of this to memory. I touched my black undershirt. I pulled it up and off, and dropped it, slowly. I could see myself in his mirror from where I was standing. It caught my intense blue eyes. Is that what I looked like when I gazed at him in bed? I caressed my own chest hair; traced my clavicle with a finger. I didn't have as much hair as he did. His eyes were riveted.

It was quiet here in Spock's cabin, enough to hear a pin drop. My hands slid down my belly to the fastening of my trousers. I teased him by sticking a finger in my waistband and running it back and forth. But I got hard doing that and these damn trousers hid nothing. I swiftly unfastened them, and slid them down. They fell down to the deck with a soft thump. I walked up towards the bed, sat down and removed my underwear and socks. "Take your fucking uniform off, now Spock," I ordered.

He did.

He stood up naked. His pale green cock stood up proudly. I laid down on his bunk. I picked up the bottle of lubricant that he'd made up when we'd first started these Runes, opened it up and sniffed it. Vulcan spice. As long as I lived and breathed, I would never forget that scent. Ever.

Anticipating what I wanted him to do, he took the bottle of lubricant from me. He poured it into his hands; applying the sweet smelling oil generously to my flushed pink, equally proud cock. As he applied the oil, he pulled my foreskin back and forth over the head of my penis. God that felt so good.

He hovered over me and slid a finger inside him. He readied himself, then lowered himself slightly to rest his anus against my head. Oh...I willed him. Now. Do it now. Again I saw the look of intense concentration in Spock's eyes. He let his weight carry him down, enveloping me. As he sank down on my cock, he bent forward to kiss me with those bow shaped lips of his. That kiss was sloppy; hungry. We relaxed into each other.

He pulled himself up, then down, then up, repeating it again, again and again. If there'd been a red alert right now calling us to duty; we wouldn't have been able to stop this.

Then suddenly I was coming and coming deep into his ass. He came too onto my belly. He collapsed forward and I held onto him.

The sex was getting better and better.

I dozed off still holding on to him.

--------------

01:00. Spock was on night watch again, so I'd decided to pull an all-nighter in the sickbay. I was exhausted after that latest sexual encounter of ours, hours earlier, but I didn't want to sleep in his quarters without him.

I was in the sickbay mirror putting more eye drops into my burning eyes, (God these things were killing me.) when I heard footsteps pass by.

"Christine," I spotted her tidying up around the sickbay and cleaning slides. All of the orderlies were off duty for the night. "I'll finish that up. Your shift ended five minutes ago. You go get some sleep."

"Thank you, Doctor." She smiled and left me to it. Apparently grateful that I wasn't snapping her head off for a change.

I picked up the box of slides and continued where she'd left off. In the quiet of my sickbay, save for a few hums of the bio- monitors in the main ward, that I'd left switched on, it felt comforting in here. This was my home. It had been for two years so far and now I couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

My subordinates thought I was crazy, but when my reports were done and there was nothing else to do I had no qualms about performing what was considered the most menial of tasks around the sickbay, such as this… simply cleaning up.

I remembered the look Chapel had given me, the first time she'd saw me cleaning my own slides. I suppose they figured physicians normally didn't lower themselves to such things. Especially the CMO. It was awful, but true. We expected everyone else lower in the pecking order to clean up after us, I guess. I mean I wasn't the neatest person in the world, I had my dirty uniforms and bath towels spread about the floor of my quarters and now was doing the same to Spock's abode, but I hated to be picked up after.

I chuckled as I remembered that look of Christine's. That was the same look she had given me when she found out I could knit. And I could. Fast. Without looking down at my fingers. Many surgeons can knit, it keeps our fingers nimble. The art had been around for hundreds of years on Earth. I knitted Christine a scarf for her last birthday. She couldn't believe that, I'd actually hand knitted her a damn scarf. Come to think of it, scarves have been around for hundreds of years, too.

I should knit Spock one. I should make him wear nothing but the scarf…

I felt myself get aroused again and chuckled. Never failed.

It was so blissfully quiet in here that I decided that once I was done here, perhaps I would watch a movie or something in my office. Or perhaps catch up on a medical journal. Or do some knitting. Or sit in a chair and fantasize about my evening with Spock.

I put the box of slides away, sighed deeply.

And turned right into the face of Jim Kirk.

I jumped. "Oh! Jesus, Jim! I didn't hear you come in--"

"Bones?" He grabbed his shoulder. "This is killing me."

At first I regarded him suspiciously but he looked like he really was in pain. I finally beckoned him over to a bio-bed in the deserted main ward. Of course. He didn't need to say anything more. He'd suffered an old injury when we'd first met, fourteen years ago. He'd actually severed that damn arm off right at the shoulder in an explosion when he was a lieutenant. I'd reconnected that shoulder and arm a micron at a time. It took me 26 hours of surgery to complete it, but I did it. However periodically it would give him trouble. That was to be expected. A quick bout of therapeutic massage and he was always good to go. Till the next time I had to patch him back together.

As I watched him pull his tunic off, I couldn't help but notice with amusement that he never wore a black t-shirt underneath it like the rest of us did. Didn't he ever feel cold?

He lay down for me on the bio-bed and I dug my fingers underneath the clavicle, where it had shattered in the original injury, then slid them down and dug into the socket where the arm had severed, and put pressure on them. He closed his eyes. "What are you doing here so late Bones?"

"Just felt like finishing up some work, that's all Jim. "What's the matter? Pain keeping you from sleeping?"

"Hmmmm…I was looking for you."

"You were? You could of summoned me on the comn--"

"Didn't feel like it."

"Oh." I sat him up, finished up with his shoulder then patted him. "Okay. All done."

He continued to sit there. "Don't stop. That feels really good."

I sighed. He was going to weedle a complete back rub out of me. "Alright. Lay back down and roll over."

He suddenly reached out and pulled me to him.

"Jim? Hey, what are you--"

"Bones," he said softly. In a fluid move, all without releasing his grip on me, he hopped down off the bed and pulled me into a crushing embrace. Before I could react he pressed his lips onto mine.

I struggled to pull away, but he had a tight grip on the back of my neck so I patiently waited till he broke the kiss. "Jim?" I laughed in spite of myself as soon as he pulled his mouth away. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I love you," he said.

I gaped at him in shock. I couldn't move. He tilted my chin up for another kiss, but this time I was successful in averting his mouth. Undaunted, he pushed me back till I smacked into a bulkhead. He crushed his body into mine, pushed his pelvis onto mine.

"Knock it off Jim!" I struggled to break away from him, but he was stronger than I was.

"Leonard..." he leaned over and breathed. "I want you."

I could feel his hot breath on my neck. Ugggghh no. It made me furious. "You want me? Jim? Are you insane? Right here in the goddamn Sickbay?"

"Anywhere," he growled.

I shook my head. "Oh…no…no you don't, Jim. Get off of me. What about Spock?"

"Spock?"

"Yeah. SPOCK. Don't you want him?"

"I don't want him."

"I thought there was something going on between you two."

"Who told you that?"

"Nobody. I just thought--"

"Leonard, I'm in love with YOU…!"

"...I'm in love with you!" I snapped awake and bolted upright with Jim's voice reverberating in my head. I was alone here in Spock's quarters. Absolutely alone. God dammit! Why did I just have a dream about Jim? I felt sick. I felt absolutely disgusted and sick.

I went into the bathroom wanting to throw up. I tried hard. But I couldn't. I put my head into the sink and turned on the faucet. I kept my forehead in the water stream till the nausea passed. I glanced over at the bathroom chrono: 0600 hours.

I wasn't on duty till 08:00 but I knew Spock had just gotten relieved off watch by Jim (coming in early) and was now off the bridge. If he got off duty early, sometimes he went and hid somewhere, now that I was staying here with him, using the time to meditate. I took a shower, dressed and instead of heading over to the officer's mess for breakfast, I decided to go looking for him.

I didn't even have to think about it. My feet brought me to the observation deck.

I found him sitting there, staring thoughtfully at the stars. He didn't seem very surprised to see me.

I plunked down on the bench next to him and also stared out into the macrocosm. "I must be psychotic," I announced, bluntly. "I have to be. I've become exceedingly paranoid. I'm smelling strange scents in your quarters. I've just had a lucid dream that Jim jumped me in the sickbay; telling me he's in love with me. I think I spoke to Jim in your quarters the night before, but I'm not certain."

He nodded. "I know."

I looked at him askance. "How do you know?"

"I just do," he replied.

"Spock, I'm going to have myself declared unfit for duty and have a full psych eval run on me."

"Unnecessary. Your apparent psychosis is not your fault. It is due to the Runes."

"Oh... is that all it is," I mumbled.

"This artifact is affecting both of us in various ways which is most unsettling."

"Both of us? You're affected as well?"

"Indeed. My judgment has been off. I am also making many technical errors. My mind is occupied."

"With what?"

"Copulation."

I nodded. "Yes. I had noticed."

"My lust for you appears to be increasing, the longer the Runes reside in my quarters."

I nodded. "I thought perhaps it was Pon Farr. So that's also, the Runes? You're tied to these ancient things, somehow."

He nodded. "We Vulcans share a great psychic empathy with the past. Once in a while, we will come into contact with an object and will subconsciously take on many of the attributes of the ancient society which produced it. In this case, it is the highly sexualized society of the F'Thinrakathi."

"You're becoming sensual just like they were?"

He nodded.

"Well, then it's a good thing I didn't bring home a sword from your violent civil war," I remarked.

"Indeed," he replied. "That would have been most...unfortunate."

I chuckled uncomfortably. "Oh..."

"However," he said. "There is more to it... than that."

Another chill ran though my body. It felt very cold here in the observation deck. "Spock...I...I don't know...I feel afraid. This feeling I have is absolutely irrational. I know that deep down. But...I'm... terrified."

"There is good reason for your feelings. However, I cannot do anything to assist us. We must ride out the rest of the Runes and hope for the best."

"Hope for the best? That's not your usual way of thinking."

"Till the Runes are finished, it is."

I cleared my throat. "Listen. I've also been having some nightmares about a newlywed couple. They were stabbed to death. I've been having dreams like that since we started those damn things."

He sighed. "I know. The original owners of the Runes."

"Who were they?"

"In my own research, I discovered that the original owners were a Royal couple who had been brutally murdered. They were in the middle of the course of these Runes. The Runes were a wedding gift created by the Bride's grandmother as an aid in sexual intercourse. The couple were not able to finish the course of the Runes. They shortly after became cursed. As legend has it, In order for the curse to be lifted, a couple must finish them. Not just any couple. One of red blood, and one of green blood, who share dreams."

"How did you discover this?"

"Partially from the VSA, I have access to records that are not in the public domain. And partially from T'Pau."

"T'Pau?"

"That is correct," he said. "For a time in her youth T'Pau had been chosen to carry the katra of the last remaining F'thinrakathi priestess. While it was being moved from one recepticle to another, she was the guardian of it temporarily."

"So...T'Pau knows about the Runes."

"All Vulcan's know of the legend."

"And what does she think about you having sex with a human... man?"

"She agrees, it is logical. It is imperative that we end the curse of the Runes so that they may be safely returned to the museum."

"The sooner we can take them to the museum, the better Spock. I'll be glad to get rid of them. It just seems strange that an object is affecting us so much."

"It is not that unusual. You have a similar occurance in your history. In Kabbalah and Jewish folklore there is a phenonomon known as the 'Dybbuk'."

"A Dybbuk?" I nodded. "I know what that is. It's a malicous possessing spirt believed to be the soul of a person who commited a serious sin while they were alive. But, it's just a myth, Spock."

"Do not be so sure. In the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries there existed an object known as the 'Dybbuk Box'. A Dybbuk had allegedly attached itself to an object. A wine box. The box had been supposedly created before World War II to trap a malicious spirit during seances. The box became cursed. It was rumored to have a hand in many tragic events during that war. Each subsequent owner of this box has also experienced a string of personal tragic events. One had nightmares that an old woman beat him repeatedly. Another had nightmares of attempted rape. Other experienced strange scents of cat urine and flowers. There were instances of burning eyes. Another suffered a stroke. Another, an onset of psychosis and rages."

"I read about that too. Spock. It was just a hoax."

"It was never absolutely proven to be a hoax."

I shifted. "Spock...about that document I read on your terminal..."

"_Sh'ma Yisroel Ado-noy Elohanu Ado-noy Elchud. Bo-ruch Shaym Ke-vod Mal-chu-so Le-olom Vo-led," _he said.

"Hebrew?"

"Affirmative. Translated as: 'Hear O' Israel, the Lord is our G-d, the Lord is one. Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever.'"

"A prayer. Not very logical is it?"

He shook his head. "No. The prayer is called the _Shema Yisrael_. It is an ancient Earth Jewish prayer. My mother taught it to me. It is often recited before retiring, or for comfort and protection in times of fear or at death. I was translating it into ancient Vulcan."

"Spock," I looked at him. "In that document, that prayer was repeated over and over again. You filled up 500 pages with just that one prayer."

"Indeed. Each prayer was repeated fifty two times per page. A total of twenty six thousand times. That should be sufficient."

The thought of Spock performing an action so obsessive was unnerving. "Sufficient for what, Spock?"

"Protection."

"Why?"

"I am also...afraid."

"Afraid?" My blood went cold at hearing him admit that. "Spock...If you.... say that... the Runes are similar to this 'Dybbuk Box' then you mean to say that an evil spirit inhabits the Runes?"

"I believe that they are inhabited by the katra of the murderer of the Royal couple. This person was killed shortly after their deaths. Shortly after that the entire civilization of the F'thinrakathi was irradicated."

"The Runes are haunted?" I breathed out slowly, patiently. This was alot to swallow. "Do you think the Runes caused the death of a whole ancient civilization?"

"I do not know. Quite possibly."

"So you're not certain."

"I cannot be certain about anything," he admitted. "However recent events aboard the Enterprise would point to the validity of my findings."

"So is the Enterprise in danger?" I asked.

"If we do not finish them. There is a chance."

"We only have two days left to finish. So we're okay...right. Just two more days. Nothing terrible will happen in two days."

"Agreed. We most likely have nothing to be concerned about."

I was quite for a few moments; then I realized something. "Spock. You've just said that a 'couple' were fabled to irradicate the curse. We're not really a couple. Is that enough to end the curse of the Runes?"

He grimaced.

"Spock. Answer me. Why would it uh....'believe' that we were a couple? It was purely coincidental that you read the parchment with me. Wasn't it?"

"It is not coincidental. We are indeed the fabled couple. And, we share dreams."

"I thought Vulcan's didn't dream."

"Contemporary Vulcan's do not. The other half of the couple must be one with green blood--one who dreams. That is I. Since I am half human, I possess the capability to dream."

"Spock. How are we able to share dreams? I'm not telepathic."

He looked down. I glanced over to where he was looking. His fingers were tightly clasped together, almost to the point where he was white knuckled. Spock hesitated, then finally said, "You are indeed telepathic."

"No," I protested. "You must be mistaken. I'm nearly psi-blind. I have a very low rating--"

"You most definately possess some telepathic ability. As strong as my mother did even before she bonded with my father. A human must posess some ability if they are to bond."

"Bond?" Then suddenly, it hit me. "Oh my God. You and I... we're bonded."

_____________________________

END OF CHAPTER 12


	13. Chapter 13

Title: The Runes (Chapter 13)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes: TOS, S/Mc (explicit slash), Rated M (Now we're heading into horror territory and yet again WARNING this is sexually EXPLICIT)

___________________

THE RUNES (CHAPTER 13)

"That is correct," he confirmed.

_Bonded. Bonded? _ Oh...my God...I was bonded to Spock. The Vulcan equivelant to being married. I hit the padded bench. Then I hit it again and again and again. No. This couldn't be happening. Not now.

He watched my outburst without comment then waited for me to calm down.

He continued on calmly, "Upon our being intimate, a marriage bond was created between us. It was initially a very light link. It formed precisely because of your apparent latent telepathic ability. I had hoped…I had hoped that… you would not notice it. However, it deepened. Slightly. Enough for you to become aware."

I cleared my throat. I felt like I was going to pass out. He'd hoped I wouldn't notice? "So you mean to tell me, we bonded, just from… having sex?"

"Before that. It occured when I merely touched your lips with my fingers."

"The first time you kissed me. The laser beam in my brain. That was you bonding with me?"

"I am sorry."

That bastard. He knew that would happen all along. He did it deliberately. I stood up, eyes blazing. "You weren't going to tell me anything, were you! You were just going to let me wonder why I was going insane. Dybbuk Box! Ancient haunted Runes! Bull! Are you out of your Vulcan mind? Why did you do this to me?! How could you do this to me?!"

"I did not intend for this to happen."

"That is absolute bullshit! You're in pon farr, that's it. Isn't it. You need somebody to take it out on and you decided I would do as I'm the weakest one. You probably tried to bond with Jim and he fought you! I sure as hell would never consent to a bond with you! You knew exactly what would happen! You seduced me!" I screamed at him full volume, got up and made my way to the exit.

He stood up. "Leonard, please--"

"You wanted this from the beginning!" I yelled back. "I didn't want this with you! I feel powerless, like I'm a little lamb about to be sacrificed."

"No Leonard," he replied. "Ancient Vulcans only sacrificed virgins--"

"That's not very goddamned funny!" I stormed out of the observation deck, kept going down the corridor till I made it to the lift.

In the lift I began shaking uncontrollably. I hit the `stop' button and sank down to the deck into a crumpled heap.

I rested my head onto my knees. "No…" I groaned. "This wasn't supposed to happen. I never wanted this to happen. Not with him. Why me? Why now?"

I should have never bought those damn Runes. I should have left them there. I'd only come in the damn shop for the Romulan Ale, but it had been too expensive. These Runes were so cheap. I should have known. Should have bought the Romulan Ale anyway. Anything but the Runes. They were so enchanting. So beautiful. Now I'm trapped. All because of me.

I should have known.

I'm trapped with this lunatic Vulcan. Forever.

The tears came. I didn't even bother trying to stop them from rolling down my cheeks.

I sobbed into my knees.

I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed till the silk of my sickbay smock was drenched with my tears.

Then… I felt something.

Something in my mind. Intertwining around my thoughts.

He was trying to comfort me. In my mind.

//_Leave me alone_!// I screamed out in my mind as loud as I could. It shocked me that I could even communicate this way with him. Then I screamed it out loud, just in case he'd missed it.

I sat there crumpled on the deck for long minutes, feeling sorry for myself. Knowing he was right here with me. Not letting myself feel him.

//_no... please it's too much...all of this is too much...I can't handle this_…// I thought.

//_leonard..._//

//_leave me alone, Spock..._//

Drawing up all my strength, I was able to clamp down and shut him out. If I just didn't think. I could shut him out.

I eventually heard the soft chime accompanied by the emergency light and the computer's pleasant, non-committal voice asking if I needed assistance. It always happened if you stopped the lift for too long.

I finally gathered myself together, stood up, popped open the door and exited.

I walked with a stiffly controlled expression, along with my red face and wet tunic, past a few curious glances in the corridor. I stopped in at my quarters--my own quarters, which, oddly, seemed very cold.

I quickly changed my uniform then went on to my duties in sickbay.

-------------------------

Doctor McCoy?"

I glanced up from my monitor. Nurse Chapel was here in my office, pestering me again. "Yes?" I demanded. "What do you want?"

"Doctor, you've been in here all day."

"No kidding." In a huff I snapped off the monitor. "Nurse Chapel? Do I have any patients requiring treatment?"

"Well... No."

"Do I have any pressing duties that I may have... somehow...forgotten about?"

"No sir. I figured you might want to have something to eat or some coffee at least. Would you like me to bring you some coffee?"

"Listen," I said tightly. "If I would have wanted some coffee, I would have gotten up and gotten myself some. Now wouldn't I."

"Well, Doctor, I just thought--"

I stood up. "Let me tell you something... _Miss Chapel_. Do you know what your problem is? I didn't think so. Your problem is... you think too much. Now go back over to what you were doing before and leave me the hell alone."

"Doctor?"

I exhaled. "Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

"I would be even better if you left me alone. Do you think you can manage that?"

She looked at me, puzzled for a long moment, then finally replied. "Yes sir."

"Then do what I ask of you and go!"

She just stood there.

I'd of thought I'd made it perfectly clear to her. Why didn't she leave?

I took a step toward her. Did she need convincing?

She must of caught an odd look in my eyes because she stumbled back and finally left.

I rubbed my burning eyes.

What the hell was getting into me? To talk to my staff like that?

I poured myself a glass of Saurian Brandy and with a shaky hand I drank it down.

----------------------

I entered Spock's quarters at exactly 20:23. Time for the fourteenth Rune. Only two more to complete and we were done. Finally.

I glared daggers at him. My _wonderful_ bondmate. It still made me angry just to think about it. I wanted to have a life after this Rune business was over with. Not a life permanently connected to him.

"You did not wish to stop by my quarters sooner?" Spock asked. I couldn't tell if he was genuinely concerned about me or if he was just being a smart-ass. Actually, yes, I could tell. He was genuine enough. "You have been off duty for quite some--"

"It's none your damn business where I was, Mister Spock," I snapped. I didn't care if he was genuine or not. I'd had it with him. "We're almost through. And it won't be too soon for me."

"Acknowledged, Doctor," he said stiffly.

I could feel the waves of hurt coming off of him. Without even touching him I could feel his emotions. It now worked both ways. However, right now. I didn't care. I wonder if he could sense that. Can you sense that, Vulcan?

"Leonard," he attempted, with widening eyes. "We did not finish our conversation from this morning. I had not--"

"Save it," I snapped. I picked up the velvet bag and shook it. "Let's get this one over with."

"Leonard," he sighed. "If you will let me finish--"

I stopped him with a look. I was ready to punch him. Just one more word out of him. "Are you deaf? Well then, let me tell you again, Mister Spock. Let's get this nonsense over and done with!"

"You are irrational," he said.

That was it. I tossed the bag of runes onto the desk. I rushed forward, pushed him into the bulkhead and got inches away from his face. I was seething. However, I noticed that he didn't resist me or my temper one iota. In the back of my mind I knew that he could probably pull my arms off if provoked.

Maybe it would be better if he did kill me.

"You bet I'm irrational!" I hissed. "And what about you? Is what you did to me, rational?"

"You must calm down," he said. "For both of our sakes."

"I don't give a rat's ass--"

"Leonard calm down--"

"So help me Spock!" I shouted. "If you--"

He grabbed my shoulders. Almost too hard, making me very aware of his strength. "Oww," I complained. "That hurts--"

"Leonard, let me explain what I must to you."

With great effort, I calmed down. "Let go of me," I said quietly.

He did. "Our bonding is not permanent--" he began.

"You're just saying that so I'll shut up--"

"Listen to me, Leonard," he said, quickly. "Our bonding is only a temporary one. An accidental bonding of this type, is never permanent."

"How the fuck do you know?" I rasped.

"I know. Just...trust me."

I studied him for a long while, then finally, haltingly found my voice. "Are... you...sure?"

"Yes, I am positive."

"Positive?"

"It will dissipate once we… cease to be intimate. Since we have only two Runes left to complete, you shall not have to tolerate this for much longer. I have been attempting to tell you. All day."

I finally nodded. "You're right. I could feel you. You tried to tell me after I left you…you tried to, in my mind, and I've been pushing you away…"

"Yes. You have."

"Oh… Spock!" I broke into hysterical laughter. "We're not trapped with each other after all!" Intense relief washed over me.

Then, my laughter disintegrated into uncontrollable sobs. He pulled me into his arms and held me tightly as the sobs continued to pour out of me. This bizarre crying fit was getting more and more intense. I needed to control it but I couldn't.

"T'hy'la, " he murmured as he caressed my hair. His voice sounded pained to my ears, matching what I felt. "I did not realize this would happen. I should have, but as I have indicated, I have not been thinking clearly--"

"I could feel you," I gasped in between sobs. "In my mind. You've been trying…you've…you've been…I could feel you… holding me…comforting me… in my mind…all day."

"I am sorry, Leonard."

"Do you know how wonderful that feeling, was? It was wonderful--but at the same time--terrifying."

He held me tighter. "I know. I am sorry."

"...Are you...absolutely sure this condition is only temporary... Spock?"

He nodded as he continued to comfort me.

I finally pulled out of his grasp. I sucked in my breath...trying desperately to control myself. Not succeeding very well.

"I realize that this will continue to be a terrible invasion of privacy for you."

I nodded, picked up the bag and handed it to him and managed a: "Come on, let's get this over with." My voice cracked on the last word. The tears were still falling. It was terribly embarrassing.

He reached out to dry my tears as I attempted a chuckle. "I'm not usually this much of a crybaby."

"It is the Runes. As I have already told you, It has affected me in a similar manner."

"Yeah, but at least you're not having constant crying fits, screaming fits nor horrible bouts of paranoia, like I am." I dried my face with my arm.

"Empty conference rooms have come in handy for such occasions," he said. I met his eyes and smiled.

He shook the bag, then opened it as I chose one.

"It is another blank rune," he noted.

I turned away. "Not again, Spock. This whole time it's--"

"The activity is your choice," he said. "But it has to be something new."

I sighed and thought for a moment. Fine. What a game, huh? What could we possibly do sex-wise that we hadn't tried before? We'd done it in his bed, my bed, on the deck in both quarters, in the shower, on his desk, on my desk, used different positions, fooled around in the observation deck, done it with a peach and with a tribble. Hell we'd have probably done it in the Captain's chair had nobody been around. There had to be something else we could try. Bondage? No....

A splash. My mind suddenly snapped to when I used to go skinny-dipping in Conyers back when I was a teen. Now, those were the days.

"Skinny-dipping," I blurted out. "We'll go skinny-dipping!"

"There is sexual contact involved in that activity?"

"Yeah...there can be. Look, we're not really spoiled for choice. It'll be fun! Spock, you _can_ swim, right?"

He nodded. "Ordinarily, most Vulcans cannot. However, my mother felt strongly that such as skill was important. She taught me how in Georgia."

I was strangely comforted by that. "You learned how to swim in Conyers?"

"I did," he said. "In a hot spring."

He grabbed my hand, and suddenly, I saw a memory that wasn't mine. I chuckled as the images flashed before me. It looked very familiar, that hot spring. Perhaps he'd learned how to swim in the same one I used to go skinny dipping in. Wouldn't that be something. It might even be a good laugh to take him back to Conyers with me and go skinny dipping, the next time we got a leave on Earth...no...you're not taking him to Conyers with you. Hell this sleeping together thing will be over soon. Soon...

"We could create something adequate in the holodeck," he was suggesting.

"Oh no. I'm not going into the holodeck with you."

"Why not?"

"Because... There's no telling what might happen with a holodeck program…forget it." I knew I was being unduly paranoid again. But I didn't care. However, I knew the computer did monitor everything that happened in there, and I didn't want to chance it keeping a record of me having sex with Spock.

"The swimming pool," he suggested. "However, it is after hours. The pool is closed."

"Not to the CMO, it isn't."

We promptly left his quarters, walked down the corridor, matching strides, then very calmly stepped into the lift.

As soon as the doors shut us in, I pushed up against him.

"Are you certain that you are alright?" he asked.

I nodded.

After regarding me for a while with those deep brown eyes, he suddenly held out two fingers in what appeared to be a ritualistic greeting. I looked at him blankly, then caught on and met those two fingers with my own. In spite of everything that was happening, I felt a glow of wellbeing.

-------------------------

The door to the pool was locked as we expected it would be. I waved my hand in front of the sensor and very obligingly, there was a blip and they opened. I grinned with satisfaction, then for some reason I felt a stab of guilt. As a CMO I did have every right to be here, whenever the hell I wanted to. However, it was knowing what I would be doing while I was here that made me feel a little dirty.

As I snuck a mischievous look over at Spock, I felt like we were two teenagers sneaking around. Gods it's been years since I've even done anything remotely like that...I remember the first time... with…what was her name…Eris…something like that.--

"Leonard," he said. "Swimming in the nude with a female at the age of thirteen is rather young for a human, is it not?"

"Spock, stay out of my memories," I snapped.

"My apologies…however you were broadcasting very loudly."

"It's the association," I said sheepishly. I barked out an order to the computer to turn up the heat in the water; to something my Vulcan companion would find at least tolerable.

It had been a long time since I'd been here in the large swimming pool, located here next to the ship's gym in the bottom section of the ship. Been a damned long time. I pulled two towels from the rack and dumped them onto the deck. Standing at the edge, I eagerly pulled my uniform off. I heard the computer's faint voice announcing:

"Swimming costumes are available in the cubicles...located at--"

"Computer, shut up!" I yelled out.

Spock stood with me, looking down at the water. I could feel some uncertainness coming off him. It didn't look like he'd ever been in here. I stood nude before him, grinning. "Are you coming in?"

"Eventually." He eyed me warily.

I shrugged and walked over to the deep end. I took a running jump from the diving board and dove in, not before showing off by doing a back flip before hitting the water. Swimming up to the surface and laughing, I yelled over at Spock: "Gods...I haven't done this in years!"

I watched him as he slowly removed his clothes. I submerged and swam over to the other side. God this felt so good.

Resurfacing at the other end, I called out: "Come on, it should be warm enough for you now."

He very delicately slid into the water.

For a long while we both swam, and almost...dare I say it... played. Played! It was delightful and very relaxing being in this extrememely heated water. The more I swam with Spock, the more I felt that I was experiencing the real him. However, the longer I was in, the more homesick I was also getting. Finally the hour grew late. We needed to do what we came here for.

I sank underneath the surface, inched over to where he was and took his cock into my mouth. He enjoyed that, I could definitely feel that from him. But I could only last under the water for about 30 seconds.

I broke the surface, gasping. "Sit here, on the ledge," I commanded, breathlessly.

He did so, and as he sat up there, and I held on with one hand to the side of the pool, I once again took him into my mouth. I did what I knew felt good to me, what I now knew felt good to him. I could hear him murmur my name, interspersed with "yes...ohhh...yes..."

"Hmmmm," I purred, causing an even louder groan from him. I could listen to that baritone voice make little noises like that for hours. I carried on with whatever I'd learned from every prostitute this side of Wrigley's Pleasure Planet, moving up and down, till he was losing control and thrusting into me. It culminated with him coming deeply down my throat.

But I wasn't finished. I released his softening cock, grabbed his thighs and pulled him down again, into the water and gently bent him over. Oh... to have him, to feel him around me in this amniotic water...I ran my teeth down his neck to his shoulder as I slid a finger into an unresisting rectum. He was already ready for me. I centered my cock and slid all the way in. It didn't take me long to climax, hard, nearly keeling over with the release.

Afterwards, we showered and sauntered back to his quarters.

I was beat after all that activity. Without a word I pulled my uniform off, went and brushed my teeth and climbed into his bunk. Two minutes later he joined me, pulling my head to rest on his chest.

I slowly traced a line into his sternum, trying to spot his nipples covered with all that black hair in this low light. "Spock."

"Yes?" he whispered.

With a voice that was a little softer, higher than usual, I said: "What's going to happen-- after we're done with the Runes, I mean-- things just go back to normal, right?"

"The curse shall be ended."

I continued tracing a circle into the hair. "I know that. I meant...all of this between us...I mean...what's going to happen to 'us'?"

He sighed. I could feel his chest rise and fall with each breath.

I kept up the questions. "This bond. When does it go away, and how do we end it?"

"After the last Rune, we must cease physical contact for the bond to dissipate."

"Completely?"

"Affirmative. In order for the bond to dissolve we cannot touch each other, no matter how casually, or how briefly," he replied. I could swear I could detect a faint hint of...regret coming from him. Regret? Perhaps I felt that...too.

"You mean I can't even touch your arm. For how long?"

"For a few weeks."

"Spock," I said. "I'm your physician, how am I going to completely refrain from touching you? What if something happens in the meantime?"

"As you are fond of saying...we shall cross that bridge when we come to it."

I was too tired to argue. "Well, until then," I said, sleepily. "Goodnight my.... T'hy'la."

He held up his two fingers in response. I hesitated then matched them with my own. He started running them down the length of my hand, down to my wrist and back up again.

"Feels good," I muttered. "All you have to do is that...feels so good..."

"That is entirely the point," he whispered.

____________________

END OF CHAPTER 13


	14. Chapter 14

Title: The Runes (Chapter 14)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes for this chapter: TOS, S/Mc, K/Mc (explicit m/m slash and some non-consensual sex); we're in horror territory here and as always there is a warning: EXPLICIT RATED M for mature themes. If you're under 18, you know damn well you shouldn't be here.

__________________

THE RUNES (CHAPTER 14)

The door chime buzzed loudly in the dark. I sat up, gasping...reaching over for Spock, but he was gone.

The buzzer sounded again. I quickly slipped on Spock's robe over my nakedness, turned up the lights and called out: "Come".

It was the captain.

"Oh, hi Jim," I muttered. "I was...about to get ready for my shift. How about we meet in ten minutes for breakfast?"

He came over to the desk. "Bones, sit down. I want to talk to you."

I followed him over and sat down across from him. "I'm sure you do, Jim."

"Got any more brandy, Bones?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Brandy? At 05:00 Jim? Isn't that a little early for the booze?"

"Go ahead. I insist," he smiled. I threw him a puzzled glance and noticed that the smile hadn't reached his eyes.

I finally pulled the bottle out from behind me. "It's the same bottle you dropped by here before," I said.

"You didn't finish it."

"Should I have?" I wondered. I fetched two glasses and poured brandy in each. He watched me as I held my glass to my lips and took a long sip.

"Bones, I got another complaint about you."

I sighed. "Oh yeah… that. Look Jim. I don't know what's gotten into me. First thing I'm gonna do when I get to sickbay this morning, I'm going to apologize to Christine."

"You know, Bones," he said. "She's not the one you should be angry with."

"Yeah, yeah, Jim. I know. I know," I smiled sheepishly. I'm sorry about that--Wait a minute. Who should I be angry with?"

He looked at me. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Who... you?"

He chuckled. "Spock."

"Why should I be angry with Spock?"

He smiled at me for a very long time. A knowing smile. "He's lying to you."

"Lying?"

"Drink your drink," he commanded. I downed the contents of the glass in a couple gulps. Then poured myself another glass full.

"Lying?" I narrowed my eyes. "Jim...what is Spock lying to me about?"

He smiled again. "Have some more brandy."

I did, totally forgetting that I had to start my shift in less than two hours.

I finished up the contents of the glass once again. Jim poured me another.

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Jim?" I chuckled. He gave me one of his 'who? little old me looks and didn't answer me. "Jim!" I demanded. "What is going on? What is Spock lying to me about?"

"You know."

I rolled my eyes. "Jim, I wouldn't be asking you if I did. Now, what is he lying to me about?"

He smiled at me again with that cat ate the canary smile, or more accurately a 'cat ate the tribble' smile. "Do you realize that you can't break the bond, ever? You're stuck with him, Bones. You're an idiot for falling for that trick."

"What?" I downed the contents of my glass again and poured myself another. "How did you know that Spock and I are bonded?"

"I know...everything," said Jim. "And... about those Runes you have..."

"You know about them too?" I asked shakily. "What about them? They're... not really... cursed?"

"No. They're not. He made all of that up to seduce you."

"Seduce me?" I tilted my head. "Are you sure, Jim? Now why-- He wouldn't--he wouldn't do such a thing. Not Spock. He can't lie."

"He can lie just fine, Bones. Spock's in _pon farr_," Jim explained. "A Vulcan in pon farr will do and say just about anything...to get laid. Believe me, I should know. Why else do you think he was so eager to fuck you after you bought those Runes? He had to have sex or else he would have died. You're a weak target but you're not that easy. So he made up this whole story about those cursed Runes. You fell for it: hook, line and sinker, Bones." He smacked the side of his head with an open palm. "You certainly are gullible, my friend."

"Gullible? I'm not...How... do you know...all of this?"

"Spock told me... about everything."

I looked at the figure standing there, incredulously. "He did?!"

"Of course. Late nights… just he and I keeping watch on the bridge. We discuss things... you understand."

I swallowed. Somebody was lying. Either Jim or Spock. Jim had no reason to lie. Did he? But if Spock was in pon farr, then it HAD to be Spock who was lying. I didn't want to believe it but I'd seen how he'd been when he was in the throes of it. It was something I never wanted to witness again. "I knew it!" I gasped. "God damn it. I knew it!"

My eyes started to burn once again.

I needed some more eyedrops. I stood up from the desk and walked over to the mirror. "Jim ...you're absolutely certain that what you're telling me is actually the truth? You're right, he and I are bonded. I can feel Spock's emotions, so I should know if he was lying to me."

He snorted. "He can block his thoughts from you. Just like you're doing right now, from him."

"I didn't know I was."

"Oh yes," Jim said. "You are."

How did Jim know that? Odd. But there were more important things to worry about right now. I picked up the bottle of eye drops and put them in my eyes.

Jim came up behind me, very close. I set the bottle down after I finished. The more I thought about it, perhaps Jim was telling me the truth. I leaned against the wardrobe and covered my face with my hands and said very softly: "That fucking bastard!"

"Yes," he said softly.

"How dare he?" I moaned. "I trusted him!"

Jim gently placed his hands onto my shoulders and massaged them. Gawd, that felt... so good. His hands were so warm. I lolled my head back. I never knew he could do it so well. But I should have known.

I never wanted him to stop touching me. "I feel bad for you, Leonard," Jim whispered in my ear. "I really, really do."

I shook my head. I felt like I couldn't control my emotions again. Everything...was failing me. "How could Spock do this to me?"

"He wants you for himself… forever. The next time pon farr rolls around. He'll use you again and again."

No no no..."What the hell am I'm going to do?"

Suddenly, Jim spun me around and pulled me closer into his arms. I found myself resting my head on his shoulder. Warm shoulder. Somehow, I didn't feel like resisting him like I had before. Maybe it was all the drink. Maybe I never realized how attractive Jim Kirk was. Warm hands. Those lovely hazel eyes. Almost as dark as Spock's...

Jim tilted my head up by the chin and gently met his lips to mine. I froze up in fear at first, then slowly...relaxed.

I opened my mouth up against his letting his tongue in to explore. I melted into him. He finally pulled his mouth away. "We don't need him, _Leonard_." He kissed me deeply again.

"We don't?," I protested into his mouth. _No_...I suddenly realized. _We sure don't need him_.

He kissed me again. He felt so warm, so wonderful. "I want to be inside you," he said.

"Yesss," I hissed. "I want you inside me."

Grinning at my encouragement, Jim picked me up and carried me over to the bed. He laid me down very carefully then rolled on top of me, again covering my mouth with his. He pulled off my robe, revealing my body. I was weeping hard. Oh... He swiftly took his uniform off and slid his naked body against mine. So fit...so warm. "Oh...yes..." I murmured. I was putty. We sure didn't need Spock...not anymore...

"My Leonard..." he cooed at me.

"Oh...Jim..." He slid a lubed finger into me. "Ohhh, yes...now...do it now. Fuck me." He pulled my legs over his shoulder and thrust inside me. I groaned at the invasion, bucked my hips for him to go deeper...and suddenly I froze underneath him. "Jim."

"Hmmmm?"

"Spock's on his way down here. He's come off duty."

"That's too bad," Jim said. He continued thrusting into me as he placed another kiss on my lips.

"Get off me!" I managed to push Jim off and fling him down next to me onto the bunk. "Oh...Jesus...If he finds you here--in bed with me--" What the hell was I doing? With Jim?

"We need to do something about him," Jim said evenly.

'Do something about him?' That didn't sound at all like Jim. But I wasn't sure. I wasn't sure about anything. Not now. I sat up. Panicking. "What do you mean?"

"You want to be free of him. Now. Don't you?"

"How?" I found myself asking in a daze.

"You can sever your bond only by killing him," Jim announced calmly. Then he threw his head back and laughed.

My heart pounded. This wasn't Jim. It couldn't be. Yet, here I was, listening to him. What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I move? Why was I having sex with him? "Are you kidding me? You've got to be kidding!"

"There is… no other alternative, Bones," he smiled. "Surely you should realize this."

"Are you insane?!" I was finally coming to my senses. I stood up from the bunk. "Get the hell out of here!"

"I assure you, Bones. I'm quite sane. And Spock would agree with me. It is logical."

"No way!" I sputtered. "This is crazy...I'm not going to kill him... he's my friend... and...and... right now he's my lover--someone I've just cheated on-- And he's a fellow officer too, as you should realize… Captain. Also...I'd be court-martialed for murder. Hell, I'm not killing anybody for that matter--"

Jim laughed.

"Bones, Bones, Bones," he tutted at me as if I was an errant child. "I'm a starship captain. Nothing will happen to you. There are ways to cover it up. He'll die planet side. Or an accident...say in the shower. Or even better, suicide. Slit his own wrists with a knife. You're a physician. His death could be quick and painless and untraceable. Perfect."

"Exactly. I'm a physician. I will not kill anybody," I insisted, red faced. "Get out of here!"

"You killed your father," Jim said. "You ended his life. Don't you remember...Bones?"

I gasped. How did Jim know about my father? I'd never told him. How dare he bring up my father. My eyes stung as they began to water. But my anger came out in little more than a groan: "Jim...that was different...my father was in pain..."

"You'd killed him right before they'd found a cure...hadn't you."

"A goddamned cure!" I moaned. "Why Jim, why did you have to bring him up?"

"You are in pain now. Look at you, Leonard. You are suffering. And it's all because of Spock."

"All because of Spock? No...Jim...I don't want him to die. I just want him to sever the bond. He told me--" another sob was forming in my throat. "He told me... it was temporary. It isn't even that bad really. I mean, I kind of like having him in my mind. I'm not alone anymore--"

"You damned fool!"

"Jim...don't call me that. I'm not a--Get out of here, now."

"You love him." Jim sounded disgusted with me. I stared a him. Why was he disgusted with me? I didn't want Jim to be disgusted with me.

"What?"

"Spock. You love him."

"Well... yeah... I guess so. We're... friends--"

"That's not what I mean. You're in love with him," Jim demanded.

"What?"

"Answer me...Are you in love with Spock?"

"I don't--"

"You want to stay bonded to him," Jim insisted.

"No...Jim," I protested. "No."

"You act like you're in love with him."

"I...I don't....I don't know. But... kill Spock? I--"

"It's the only way you'll be free."

"He's getting closer!" I shouted. "Get out of here! I pulled Spock's robe back on. "For the love of God," I hissed. "Get out!"

"You know what to do, Bones."

_He's getting closer_. I opened my eyes to find myself laying alone on Spock's bunk. Spock _was_ getting closer, I could feel him. I leapt up from the bunk as the doors swooshed open. "Spock!" I gushed a little too exuberantly. He gave me a sort of half smile in greeting.

"Good Morning, Leonard."

"Morning," I said a little shakily. I glanced back at the bedchamber.

"Was someone here with you?" asked Spock, watching me.

"What…? No..." I said. "There's no one here."

"Are you alright?" He sat down next to me. "I am unable to feel you."

I looked at him sharply. "Feel me?"

"Your emotions." He sniffed the air. "Have you been drinking?"

"Drinking? No." In a swift move I pushed him down onto the bed and rolled on top of him.

"You are exceedingly aroused," he noted.

"I am." I continued my thrusting against his thigh.

"Exceedingly..." he said again reacting against me pushing hard against him. "Is this your typical morning erection?"

"Nope," I sneered.

"Leonard," he said from underneath me. "We have not chosen a Rune for today. Do you not wish to wait till this evening--"

"Shut up," I grunted and pulled off my--his robe and let him see just how aroused I was. I straddled him, inching my hips forward, moving up his body, finally reaching his face. He looked up into my eyes. Questioning.

"Put me in your mouth Spock," I commanded as my breath quickened. To my delight he did exactly that. He lay there on the bunk in his blue uniform and sucked me off as I hovered over him.

Within seconds, I came into his mouth, down his throat. "Yes..." I grunted. "Take it all..."

I got up from him and walked into the shower. "Thanks..." I called back absently.

___________________

END OF CHAPTER 14


	15. Chapter 15

Title: The Runes (Chapter 15)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes this chapter: TOS, S/Mc (explicit m/m slash), Rated M for mature themes (horror, discussion of rape, explicit sex) If under 18, do not read.

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THE RUNES (CHAPTER 15)

Someone was standing at my terminal.

It was Christine Chapel. Nosing around in my files. Again.

I thought I'd warned her.

I crept up behind. Quietly as a cat. "Looking for something?"

She jumped and turned around. Caught. Her eyes grew as wide as saucers.

I smiled.

"Doctor?!" she gasped. "What's...what's...what's? G-gotten into you?"

"What ever do you mean...my dear?" I asked sweetly.

"Your...your report!" she stammered. "It's…"

"It's what?" I crept closer, even closer. My face was inches away from hers. My hand shot out and with a finger I tilted up her chin. I could feel her trembling from my touch. "What, dear? Tell me why you've been snooping."

"Forgive me, Doctor. I didn't mean to--"

"Of course not." I ran that finger along her jawline, down to her throat. "Of course not," I whispered. My hand suddenly shifted to the back of her neck.

I jerked her head foward till her lips met mine. She finally managed to wriggle away from my mouth but not away from my embrace. "Doctor. Please stop."

I chuckled. But I didn't release her.

She swallowed hard. I met her determined eyes. "Sir...this report...I noticed that in the whole thing...you've written: 'Spock will make a lovely corpse...' over and over again. For three-hundred pages!"

"Have I? Well, he will...won't he?"

She gazed at me in horror for a few seconds. I laughed in response till she screamed and pushed away from me with strength I never knew she had.  
She ran out shrieking into the main ward.

Probably to try to call Spock or M'Benga or the captain about me.

Pity.

I followed her, then stopped in my tracks. What the hell was I planning to do to Christine?

And...Spock will make a lovely corpse? What the hell's the matter with me?

"Oh God!" My head shot up from my desk. Oh... I must have dozed off. My monitor was still on, still open on the intake report I'd been working on for the past six hours. "Christine!" I called out to the sickbay ward, a little panicked. "Christine? Are you out there?"

She appeared an instant. "Doctor?" Seeing how pale I must of looked, she came running up. "Are you alright?"

"I'm...I'm fine." I managed a reassuring smile at my head nurse. I rubbed my burning eyes. Probably aggravated by staring at the computer monitor for six hours straight without a break. Why did I insist upon taking care of everyone else, but constantly neglected my own health? "I was just...uh…Can you get me a glass of water please? From the bottled we have in storage. The...uh... water we picked up from Starbase ten." As I stood up, I staggered. I hoped she hadn't noticed. She did.

Before I could wave her off, she rested her hands on my shoulders. "Your eyes are extremely bloodshot. How much sleep have you been getting? We really should take a look at your eyes--"

"Look, Christine. I appreciate your concern, but just go get me the water first, then we'll scan me, okay? And bring me some aspirin too," I muttered as a terrible headache set in. Of course.

She nodded and left.

I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. I picked up my scanner, aimed it at my eyes then glanced at the readout. That can't be right--

"Bones?"

I spun around at the voice. "Jim...what can I do for you?" I tried not to outwardly express my unease to my captain. Was this the real Jim Kirk? Or was I dreaming again? I couldn't be certain, not anymore. But as CMO, as his best friend, I had to take that chance. He looked like he needed to talk.

"Bones?" Somehow he seemed very drawn, very quiet.

"Yeah, Jim?" I'd deal with with my scanner later. I got up from the chair, retrieved a bottle of Saurian Brandy. "You in on a drink?"

"I don't know." He hunched down in the chair across from my desk.

"You don't know if you want a drink? Of Saurian Brandy? Oh, oh," I nearly barked out a laugh, then caught myself.

"Uh..." Jim began. "Bones...I really need to talk to you. In confidence."

"Hang on," I said. "Christine!" I bellowed out. "What the hell's the damned hold-up?!"

"Coming, Doctor McCoy," she called back, then finally brought my aspirin and water. "Doctor, I thought you were going to--"

"Later!" She nodded at me and left.

"Okay Jim," I sighed. "What's on your mind?"

"You're the only psychiatrist on board...however I'd rather not have to come to you about this..." The words seemed to be tumbling reluctantly out of him. "But... uh..."

Hearing that, I immediately slipped into 'Psychiatrist mode'. This was real. "You know you can talk to me about anything, Jim."

"Anything?" He was uncertain. I'd never seen him like this before.

"Of course. Come on." I walked around my desk and put my hands on his shoulders. "Tell me."

"It's not a good idea if you touch me. I don't know how to say this to you."

I dropped my hands. "You'd better just come out with it and we can go from there."

"Okay, Bones. Well... I've been having some dreams..." He glanced at the deck. "...about you."

I walked back over to pour the Saurian Brandy into a glass for him and one for me. "Oh?"

"Yes. 'Oh'," he replied. Looking down.

I chuckled a little. "Well that's not...uh...too bad, is it?"

"These dreams are. They're awful, Bones. They're horrible. Night terrors."

"So...do you remember what these night terrors have been about?" I asked, quietly.

"They're...uh...about you and I...engaged in uh...uh...sex..." He trailed off again.

"Listen Jim," I soothed. "It's completely normal to have sexual dreams about someone you're good friends with--work with-- intimately."

"This is normal? Dreams like this?"

"Jim, why don't you tell me more about it. Okay?"

He took a deep breath. "I've been having dreams about..." He stopped again.

"About what? Jim. About what?"

He closed his eyes. "Rape."

"Rape?"

"Yeah."

"Did I...did I... do this... to you?" I gasped.

"No. Bones. I did it...to you...or against you..."

"You raped me in a dream?"

He shifted in his chair. I handed him that drink and he drained it. I poured him another glass. "One night I dreamt that I attacked you... in the sickbay," he said with a horrified expression.

I looked at him with an equally horrified expression but kept my voice calm. "I see."

"And...on another night...I had sex with you in Spock's quarters...uh...you know...but this time you seemed to be willing...you know...you wanted it...or maybe I thought you did but you didn't. What the hell does that mean, Bones?"

I took a deep breath and got out: "It's just stress, Jim," I shut my eyes. "That's all it is. Just stress. You're just a little on edge--"

"That's not all, Bones."

I took a shaky sip of my brandy. "Please, continue."

"I also...in this dream...tried to get you to...uh..."

"What?"

"I tried to get you... to...to... kill Spock."

"Kill Spock?" I stood up. "You did? You dreamt about that?"

He stood up with me. "Why would I dream about wanting to kill Spock? It can't just be...stress, can it?"

"Jim," I said. "It's probably nothing. Just...don't worry too much about it. Don`t read too much into it. Just your subconscious trying to talk to you. That`s all."

"My subconscious is trying to tell me to kill Spock?"

"No…No Jim," I managed a weak laugh. "You're just worried about something."

"Bones..." He gripped his glass tightly. "I've never had dreams like this before. They seem so real."

"I'll bet they do..." I sat back down. Jim did likewise.

"Bones..."

"So...Jim. You mean to tell me, that in this dream of yours, you and I actually had sex?"

"Yes we did," he replied. "It was bizarre. I couldn't help myself. It felt..." he cleared his throat and looked at me strangely. "It felt like I was really with you..."

"Of course it wasn't real, Jim." I chuckled, nervously rotating my glass. "That would never happen in real life. Not in a million years."

"Oh," he said. "Well, in my dream you were telling me something about knowing where he was...or maybe I knew where he was, or maybe we both knew... or something like  
that...but in this dream you and he were..bonded."

I choked on my brandy. "So," I said casually. "How long have you been having dreams... like this?"

"Every night. Since we departed Berengaria Seven."

"And you decided to tell your kindly old doctor about it...now? Why didn't you tell me before?"

"This isn't easy for me to talk about."

"You've gotta tell me about these things, Jim, you can't just let it fester and drive you crazy. I can't help you unless you talk to me about what's bothering you."

"I know. I know, Bones. These dreams are downright frightening." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "Dreaming that you and Spock are bonded...that's crazy...you and Spock aren't bonded, right?...I mean I know you two have become an... uh...'item' but..."

"Spock and I are not an 'item' Jim," I corrected him, softly.

"You're sleeping together."

I blushed a little. "See? That's upsetting to you," I pronounced. "Hence the dreams."

"No," he protested. "Whatever my senior officers wish to do in their own time is none of my business, as long as it's not affecting your duties, you can sleep with whomever you like."

"It has been affecting my duties a little, Jim," I admitted.

"The efficiency and wellbeing of my crew is my main concern. You know that Bones."

"I do know that. But it doesn't mean you aren't personally upset by this, Jim."

"No, no," he insisted. "Honestly, I'm not upset. Although I have been a little more irritable lately with you, there's more too it than that…" He looked around my office as if sensing something. "Bones, you might think this is crazy but I can feel something-- it's definitely affecting the whole ship. Nothing seems right. Everything is…I don't know…I guess this is insane..."

"Are you experiencing any physical symptoms--other than a feeling something is odd?"

"I can't sleep properly."

"I'll prescribe you some sleeping pills, Jim."

"No... Bones." Suddenly he said: "Look at you."

"What about me?"

"Look at your eyes. I'm worried about you. Especially, you. You look like hell, Bones."

"Well," I said. "I haven't been getting much sleep either. And not for reasons you might think."

He shook his head. "The whole crew is touchy...on edge... Even Scotty. Do think we picked up some disease from our last shore leave? I've never known this quadrant to be problematic. I intend to get to the bottom of it. I want you to start doing some physical and psychological examinations of the--"

I held up my hand. "I think I can solve that little mystery for you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," I said reluctantly. "I can. I think this whole thing... is my fault."

"Really," he said. "How so?"

"Come with me, Jim. To Spock's quarters. I have a little bit of explaining to do."

"Why can't you just tell me here?"

"I need to show you something." I stood up. "Come on, Jim."

We left my office and entered the turbolift.

"Bones," he protested. "I don't want to be alone with you in Spock's quarters. Not after what happened."

"Why Jim?" I laughed. "They're only dreams, right?"

__________________________________________________

END OF CHAPTER 15


	16. Chapter 16

Title: The Runes (Chapter 16)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes: TOS, S/Mc Rated M (for explicit sex, mature themes, non consensual) If you are under 18, do not read.

______________________________

THE RUNES (CHAPTER 16)

Jim studied me. After a long time he finally laughed with me. "You're absolutely right, Bones. They're only dreams. I'm acting irrationally."

"We all are," I agreed.

"So you're not angry with me about me dreaming about--"

"Jim, you don't have much control over stuff like that. I mean, yeah it's upsetting and I'm sorry to hear about it but I'm not personally angry with you."

"_Much_ control? So I CAN control my dreams."

"Uh...Look, Jim," I said. "If this is really bothering you I can hook you up to the monitor--"

"No. This is to remain off the record. I just never thought I'd ever dream about...hurting you or Spock. That's the last thing I'd ever want to do."

"I know that," I replied. "I'll explain everything to you."

He nodded. We exited the turbo-lift, entered the corridor and then finally Spock's quarters.

"This is probably the culprit." I waved at the bag of Runes.

"That's it!"

"You`ve seen these before?"

"I dreamt about this, Bones."

I gulped as I studied the captain. Then my eyes shifted to the bag. They were now on Spock's desk. How'd they get here? Since I'd brought them on board, oddly, they'd kept moving around the cabin. This morning they had been on the ledge. Spock had moved them back to the nightstand. No one should have been able to get in here to touch them. Why would they? As a precaution, since I'd started sleeping here, we'd been locking the door.

I sat Jim down and to the best of my ability explained to him what I'd done: Bought these damn Runes. I went on all about the curse and most of everything else.

"So this is why you and Spock are... sleeping together? Are you kidding me? Because of this curse of these… love runes?" he laughed incredulously.

"It's not funny, Jim."

"I know, but...are you sure this curse is real?"

"According to Spock--"

He shook his head and waved me off. "Well, he'd know I suppose. So you brought 'cursed Runes' on board," his eyes narrowed dangerously at me, "putting the Enterprise at risk--"

"Jim," I explained. "I didn't know they were cursed. Honestly. I still don't absolutely know if it's real. I just have faith in Spock's judgement that it is. And...all this crap started happening since I'd brought them on board and the sex with Spock did appear to alleviate most of it."

He rolled his eyes. "I ought to have you in irons Bones! Bringing these things on board--don't tell your commanding officer, have sex with my first officer in an attempt to...Jesus..." His hand snatched forward and he picked up a stone from the bag. "They're pretty."

"JIM! Don't touch them!" I lunged for him.

He dropped the stone. It made a soft tink as it hit the others in the bag. "Why not?"

"I don't know. I'm not absolutely sure...that…"

"That... what?"

"That you and I…"

"That...you and I... what? You're saying that you and I _also_ have to have sex to end the curse? You can forget it, Bones."

"Just...leave 'em alone. Okay Jim?"

After a long irritated silence, he said: "So this...is why my whole ship has been behaving like this? Why I'm having crazy dreams about attacking you, killing my first officer...and you being bonded to Spock?"

"I'm really bonded to Spock," I blurted out.

"Sorry Bones. It almost sounded like you said that you're bonded to Spock."

"You heard correctly," I muttered and looked at anywhere but him. "We really are."

He leaned back and rubbed his face. "I see. So, when did THIS happen?"

"Well...It happened... accidentally," I said, then added quickly: "It can be reversed. Thank Christ."

"Accidentally? I don't think I want to know the details of that one." He glared at me and I shifted in my chair. Then the glare changed to a look of curiousity and concern. "It can be reversed? So you don't want this to be permanent?"

"Not really."

"Why not?"

"I don't know, Jim. I just don't. Or maybe I do." I shrugged. "You know what?...I don't know what to do."

"How do you feel about him?"

"I care about him."

"And of course you don't know how he feels about you."

"I know how he feels," I said. "He cares about me, too."

"What about love?"

"No," I said quietly.

"Bonded." Jim shook his head. "I can't believe it. Although, I never thought in a million years you'd ever be intimate with Spock--"

"Well we won't be for much longer," I said a little more sharply than I intended. He gave me a look. "We only have one more Rune left," I explained.

"And then what?"

"Then we just have to wait until the bond fades. Then, it's all over."

"Over? Just like that? Then what happens--You two just go back to--being friends? Shipmates?"

"I suppose so."

"Bones. Married officers serving aboard Starships isn't against regulation. You two are of about equal rank. You're mature enough to deal with the realities of hazardous duty."

"I know that. I'm just...not exactly sure that I'm really ready for another marriage. There's a lot of things in my past I've never shared with you."

"Maybe you should share it with me. Then you can move on and be happy."

"Thanks Jim."

"How long ago was that last marriage of yours? Fifteen years ago?"

"Jim."

"Don't you think it's about time you were happy?"

I hit my fingers onto the desk. "Why are you assuming that I'm so goddamned happy with Spock?!"

"Because for the past few weeks you have looked the most content that I've ever seen you be, in all the years that I have known you."

I studied my hands and said nothing.

He cleared his throat. "I've always wondered what it must be like to be bonded to a Vulcan. It must be an interesting experience..." He trailed off. "What happened to your wedding ring?"

"I don't know..."

"Finally took it off, huh?"

"Jim!" I snapped.

"Sorry, it's none of my business."

"You're right. It isn't." I laughed. "No...Listen, this being bonded business...It's not too bad, actually. I'm getting used to him being inside my head." I smiled. "I'm not alone anymore. It's like he's always there...always with me...I feel what he feels..."

"And you want to give that up."

"Jim."

"You can read each others thoughts?"

"Yeah. And...he's shared some of his memories with me. Just by touching me."

"Oh…" he said softly.

Just then a summons from the sickbay came. I went over to the viewer, answered it and conferred with M'Benga. Another damn emergency. I had to get down to sickbay. As I turned back to Jim, my eyes noticed the desk.

The Runes were gone.

"Jim? Did you move them?"

"Move what?"

"The fucking Runes, that's what!"

"No! Bones. I was standing right here with you."

"Shit."

--------

"Doctor McCoy," Spock said in his usual bland 'we're out in public areas' tone of voice. "It is time."

"Did you locate the Runes?" I flipped my monitor to 'off''.

"Affirmative."

"Good. Lets go."

Our footsteps made a soft noise as we left my office and passed through the main sickbay ward. We walked by Christine Chapel sitting very still in the corner.

"Something the matter with Nurse Chapel?" Spock asked me calmly.

I glanced over at my nurse then looked back at Spock. "She's fine."

The sickbay doors opened up with a loud swoosh into the quiet pulsating hum of the corridor. Our calm, evenly matched strides went past the outer doors of my office, then the offices of M'Benga, then all the rooms that comprised deck seven. Our footfalls were silent, here in the corridor.

We entered the lift.

"Level please?" asked the computer voice, pleasantly.

"Deck 5, Sweetheart," I smiled.

We said nothing else till the doors opened up to the appropriate level.

We exited the lift and began our calm stride down the corridor.

As we entered officers territory our steps got faster till we passed the living quarters of 'Captain James T. Kirk, commander USS Enterprise' and we approached the one immediately next door: 'Commander Spock: First officer/Chief Science Officer.

We were home.

"Are we ready?" I asked.

"Ready," he replied.

We entered his quarters and made a beeline towards the bag of Runes. Spock held it out and I chose the last stone. I gave it to him to read, but he closed it in his fist. He had a hooded expression on his face.

"What does it say, T'hy'la?" I asked.

"I shall tell you...in good time..." He broke off and pulled me to him with a gentle-- yet posessive-- kiss.

I melted in his grasp, but still wanted to know. "What does it say?"

He growled and pulled me too him again. We made quick work of each other's uniforms. He picked up my naked frame and deposited me onto the bed.

"Spock..." I murmered as he lay on top of me. "What does it say?"

"Later..." he whispered. He pulled my legs over his shoulders, lubed up and slid all the way in. I arched my hips so he could sink in deeper, still deeper. I moved my pelvis in circles. It felt so good. So damned good. Both of us moaned in unison.

"Oh yes...harder..." I demanded. He thrust in harder. I definately would be walking funny tomorrow. Still I wanted it even harder. He reached up and laid a hand gently onto my face. Now I felt what he was feeling as he was feeling what I was feeling!

I exploded and he was right there with me.

"Oh....my..." I gulped after awhile. "Oh..."

"Hmmmm," he grunted.

He was collapsed onto me, still inside me, so I pushed him over to the side till he slid out. He was heavy. His head flopped over onto my chest. "That was wonderful..." I murmered. "I want to...do that again..."

"We will," he promised. " Very soon. T'hy'la. Very soon."

"But not right now..." I laughed. "I don't think I could...so fast...not after that. I'm sore."

"Yes," he said. "Now."

I didn't like the way he'd said that. "What about the Rune? Is that it? That was the last one. Is the curse ended?"

"Not yet," Spock said ominously.

Suddenly the door to the bathroom swooshed open. I jumped.

Walking out in a towel and only a towel, was Jim Kirk.

_______________________

END OF CHAPTER 16


	17. Chapter 17

The Runes (Chapter 17)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes and warnings: TOS, S/Mc, K/S/Mc (implied). WARNING: Explicit m/m, implied threesome. Horror. If under 18, please do not read.

___________________

THE RUNES (CHAPTER 17)

"No..." I murmured into Spock's chest. "Not with him."

"Why not?" Jim cooed back at me. "You have been wanting this."

"Have I?" I said, blankly.

"You showed me the Runes, Bones...I touched them. Now I'm in."

"I knew this would happen," I mumbled faintly.

Jim lay down alongside me in the available space on the bunk. He caressed my chest as Spock held me in his arms. Then Jim's lips were on mine, his tongue dove deep, exploring my mouth...

Spock's hand came down and stroked me back to hardness. And then we were doing it...we were having a damn threesome...Jim, Spock and I. At first I resisted, but then I caved in. I never thought I'd enjoy doing this so much. But I did.

Suddenly, Jim looked at me. "I love you."

"I love you, too..."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Then, prove it."

"How?"

"You know what you have to do next, Leonard..."

I did, but I didn't want to. "No...Jim..."

Jim reached up and touched my eyelids. "Yes."

"Leonard. Leonard! You are dreaming. Wake up!" I felt warm hands shake me. "Wake up. Wake up." The hands shook me again.

I came into a sort of awareness and fell into his embrace. "Spock?"

"Yes, Leonard...you have been trapped in a nightmare."

"You're alive! Oh God...Spock...you're alive...JIM!" I began to struggle again and he held me close.

"Leonard wake up."

Finally fully awake, I groaned. "Oh...no...I dreamt that you and I had a threesome...with Jim."

"Indeed."

"Then he ordered me to kill you. And without argument...I did it! I can't believe it... I actually slit your throat. You cried out and I laughed... Then I stabbed you over and over. I couldn't stop. It felt like... I was stabbing a pillow. I'm so sorry, Spock..." I covered my face with my hands.

"Leonard..."

"I can't believe it. I found myself enjoying it and then...suddenly...there was a voice in my head reciting a prayer...in Vulcan...maybe not...I don't know..."

"That was I, attempting to awaken you."

"I never wanted to hurt you...why did I do that?"

"It was only a dream." He shook me a little. "That is all."

"It felt real. I killed you...I felt your warm blood...everywhere... I could smell the copper scent, then the smell of Jim...I could feel him...inside me..."

"Leonard listen to me. It was a dream. We did not have a threesome with Jim. I am not dead. We are here now. Safe."

"I stabbed you..." I reached out and felt his chest.

"Leonard." I detected a hint of warning in his voice.

"What about Jim? Was he here? Are you sure it wasn't real?"

"Leonard. I am here, alive. Please try to believe me. Nothing untoward has happened."

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Positive."

I breathed. "Alright. Fine. But, we need to find those damn Runes. Or we're gonna be in serious trouble."

"Affirmative. We are in trouble. The ancient guard is attempting to possess--"

"It`s me!" I gasped. "It's working though me. Am I the murderer? I'm the murderer!"

"It shifts. It has possessed not only you, but Jim as well."

I'd figured that. Jim and I had argued last night about the now missing Runes. I had to get to sickbay but he'd followed me in the lift as we'd argued heatedly. I'd accused him of stealing them. He'd acted very suspiciously in response but I got nothing from him. Spock and I had searched for the Runes from top to bottom in his quarters to no avail.

They weren't in Jim's quarters either. An precursory internal scan of the ship Spock had done also turned up nothing. We'd eventually given up...actually I was so exhausted that I couldn't see straight, so I'd convinced Spock to resume the search in the morning. They had to be somewhere.

"Spock," I wondered. "Has the murderer ever tried to possess you?" Though I didn't think it would. Not with his Vulcan controls in place.

"Once," he admitted. He didn't elaborate and a chill passed though me. I felt him rise up. In the darkened quarters I heard him walk over to the bathroom.

I decided to get up also. There was no way I was going back to sleep after this.

It was completely dark in here, even Spock's 'watcher' statue wasn't lit. Strange. It always watched us. I sat up on the bunk and called out: "Lights to twenty-five percent."

The cabin stayed completely dark. What the devil?

"Computer," I snapped. "Lights to twenty-five percent'." They still wouldn't function. "Spock...what's wrong with the cabin lights?"

"Leonard," Spock came back, pressing a glass of water into my hand. "The lights ARE on."

"You're kidding...."

"I am not. The lights are operational. Can you not see the illumination?" I felt his hands grab my shoulders.

"Spock..." I said quietly. "I think you need to escort me to sickbay. I'm blind."

_____________________

END OF CHAPTER 17


	18. Chapter 18

Title: The Runes (Chapter 18)

Author: T'Prillah

Codes: TOS, S/Mc, rated M

_______________________________________________________________

I felt fingertips explore my face, then I grimaced as they pulled up one of my eyelids. I felt the heat of something on my eyes. I jerked my face away.

"Does that hurt?" M'Benga asked me softly.

"Does it ever."

"Have you been experiencing any nausea? Blurryness? Halos?"

"Just a little nausea...no other major symptoms."

"Headaches?"

"Once in awhile."

"Scanner," I heard M'Benga order Nurse Chapel.

"What exactly is wrong with his eyes, Doctor M`Benga?" Jim's voice.

"Glaucoma."

"Glaucoma?" That woke me up. I couldn't help but bark out a harsh laugh at that one. "You have got to be kidding me," I said. "They wiped that out back in 2167."

"Doctor, you have a severe retinal detachment in both eyes resulting in Secondary Glaucoma. However, I am at a loss as to how this could have happened."

"I don't believe this," I snapped. "You have to be mistaken. It's impossible."

"Obviously not 'impossible', Doctor," I heard Spock suddenly pipe up.

"I know that, Dammit!" I threw back at him. I was ready to strangle everybody in here. Did they all have to be in here? Even though I couldn't see their faces; I could feel their pathetic stares. Why couldn't I just be left alone?

I grimaced as I suddenly felt more stabbing pain in my eyes. I waited for the pain to subside. Slowly fading into my memory were those readings I'd took of my own eyes with the type II scanner. They had been very suspicious. I'd brushed it aside. In the midst of everything, I'd neglected to follow up on it. Dammit. What the hell kind of physician was I?

"When was his last physical?" Jim asked M'Benga.

"Three months ago," I answered instead of M'Benga. "I was four-oh."

"Three months?" Jim asked. "That's funny, crew physicals were scheduled less than a month ago."

"I was scheduled two weeks ago but I hadn't gotten around to my own yet," I explained. "Too much excitement going on around here. The CMO is the last one of the crew to be examined. Even then," I added. "We don't routinely screen for Glaucoma. It would be ridiculous."

"Apparently not," Spock said, unhelpfully.

"Can you reverse his condition, Doctor M'Benga?" Jim asked. "Or is he blinded for the rest of his life?"

"I might be," I muttered as I again answered for M'Benga. "We'd eradicated the causes of Glaucoma many years ago but when someone is already afflicted with something this serious, the condition is difficult to reverse."

"We must perform a complete Retinal reattachment," M'Benga added. "After the bandages are removed and vision has possibly returned, you will require intense drug therapy."

I lifted my head then let it flop back onto the biobed. "I--"

"So then...Bones _will_ be able to see again?" Jim interrupted me, once again asking M'Benga.

"You _can_ speak directly to me, Jim," I snapped. "I'm not dead. Just blind, thank you very much."

"We'll do everything we can, Captain," M'Benga said.

"Bones…" Jim said in anguish, then grabbed my hand, but I yanked it away. I didn't want anyone touching me. Least of all, him.

"As soon as you're ready, Dr. McCoy, we shall operate," said M'Benga.

I sighed. "Retinal detachment?"

"Yes sir. Both eyes."

"Both eyes? You're absolutely certain about that?"

"Yes sir."

"Then the sooner you operate on me, the better."

-------------

I slowly came to on the sickbay biobed, sensing someone hovering over me. My eyes were bandaged. I felt soft hands adjust it, then run down my chin. I reached out and snatched the soft hand. A woman's hand. I held onto it. "Christine?" That came out little more than a croak.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I just woke up from surgery," I smiled dozily. "Other than that... just dandy." She tried to pull her hand away but I clamped hold of it and squeezed gently.

She returned the squeeze and gave out a soft melodic laugh. I released her hand and as I heard her walk off, I directed my attention to the one I knew was standing against the wall with arms folded. "How long have I been out?"

"Six point two hours."

"Spent your whole rest period here, watching me, huh?"

"Affirmative."

"In that dream last night," I whispered. "You know, that dream about the threesome?"

"I remember."

"Jim touched my eyes. I'm blind because of him."

"You had been having severe difficulty with your eyes since we began the Runes," Spock reminded me. "Could not your accident with the acid have contributed to this?"

"Not severe acute Retinal detachment such as this, no."

"Glaucoma was a common affliction befalling the Fthinrakathir," he said.

"Is Jim possessed by the murderer?" I wondered. "He has to be."

"He has been behaving normally these past few hours," Spock replied.

"He's got those Runes in his possession, I know it."

"Perhaps."

"Well then, why aren't you getting them back from him? Why are you still standing here?!"

Spock didn't answer me.

"Dammit! Instead of standing here and staring a hole though me, get them back! We still have one left to get through. We need to finish them, now and send them back to Vulcan where they belong, before one or both of us gets killed. What the hell are you waiting for?!"

"I am due to relieve the captain on night-watch in three point eight minutes."

What? I couldn`t believe it. Why wasn`t he intent on locating them? "Don't you want to get them back? What the hell is the matter with you?"

I felt a wave of hesitation come from him. Oh…Maybe he didn't want to leave me here. I WAS very vulnerable.

I shifted in the biobed and pulled the covers up to my neck. It was a mite cold in here. I was clad only in the sickbay patient garb with bare feet under a thin sheet. "Listen," I tried to reassure him. "I can sense your worry. I'm in the sickbay. The safest place on the ship."

There was again no answer from him but I could still feel him giving off that wave of gut wrenching hesitation.

"Hey," I finally said, much perkier than I felt. "I've got every body here in the sickbay to come running to my aid, just in case. All I have to do is holler. I can hear them."

"You can hear them," he repeated, faintly.

"Yeah, it's funny how attuned my hearing suddenly has become now that my eyesight is gone."

Again, that hesitation from him. Spock? Are you okay? "Spock, you can leave me," I said. "I'll be fine."

"Will you?"

I was struck, again, by that wave of...that heart wrenching concern of his. It was intense. It really was endearing. I smiled. "It's a chance we have to take, Spock. You must get those Runes back from Jim."

"Dr. M`Benga says you must remain in sickbay overnight," he said quietly.

"I know. We're not entirely positive that the operation is a success or not. It is a little touch and go right now."

"You might have to leave Star Fleet, if the operation is not successful."

"Yes, that`s right," I said. "Ultimately. But, don't be such a pessimist. Go and look for those Runes, Spock. Now."

"Order Dr. M'Benga to lock you into a private cubicle," he commanded softly. "Then I will leave you."

"You think Jim will…?" I trailed off. "Okay. Summon M'Benga in here."

I heard a snap as Spock flipped the comn switch to call M'Benga to my bedside. I sat up as soon as I heard the footsteps. "Doctor, listen…" I explained to him that I wanted to stay in a private cubicle for the night.

"It would be better if you remained in the main ward for observation," he protested. "Why do you--?"

"Don't ask," I said.

"Yes sir." Dr. M'Benga took my arm and helped me off the bed and walked me through the main ward and into a private cubicle. Spock followed us. I was helped onto the bed.

"Dr. McCoy, if you have any problems the comn is right here." M'Benga took my hand and guided it to the button. "Please call." Then he hesitated. "I really don't think this isn`t a good idea sir. I would rather you stayed in the main ward--"

I was suddenly suspicious of him. He kept on harping about keeping me in the main ward. "Why?" I countered.

Perhaps it was M'Benga who was actually trying to kill me. Maybe it wasn't Jim after all. Maybe it was M'Benga who'd even caused my blindness. Maybe he had been full of shit when he'd done the initial exam. Maybe there had been nothing physically wrong with me but some...I don't know...eye strain, maybe. I couldn't see the tests. could I. Maybe he'd…permanently blinded me during the operation. Spock did have the ability to read the tests… but was he even paying attention to what was going on? Right now he seemed to be so out of it. Or maybe… Great, now I was an easy target, wasn't I.

How do I know that all of them aren`t in collusion--

"Just for observation. Of course," M'Benga was saying to me. "I would prefer to monitor you in the main ward."

"I`m staying in this cubicle," I demanded. "And that is final." I heard M'Benga reluctantly walk off, and the door swoosh shut behind him. "Okay?" I asked Spock nervously.

In response I felt the brush of his fingertips against mine. I felt the familiar laser-beam sensation; an electricity from my own fingertips to my hand to my arm to my shoulder and straight up to my brain. My head fell back against the pillow and I gasped in a daze. "Spock...knock that off...each time you do that. I feel it… stronger and stronger."

"Do you not enjoy the sensation?"

"I do enjoy it. A lot," I admitted. Whenever he touched me, no matter now subtly, it always made me feel absolutely wonderful…Loved. Protected. Alive. But…I couldn't… "I just don't think you should do that anymore. It would be… better that way. Considering."

"My apologies." He pulled his hand away. I felt a sense of regret, but it WAS better that way. Wasn't it?

"Spock. We will eventually be able to break this bond between us, Right?"

"If you wish."

"If I wish? Well, of course. Who wouldn't?" I shot back. He said nothing in response. I shifted. Shit. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant--"

"You know how to contact me if you need me," he said quietly.

"Yelling out?" I snickered.

"Talk to me through the bond. You have done it before. Do not delay. Contact me if there is anything--"

//_like this_?// I thought at him.

//_like that/_/ he thought back. //fascinating...you are rather adept...//

I chuckled faintly. I was adept, but still felt strange to talk to him that way. Telepathically. And, it did take a lot out of me. I switched back to spoken words; trying to speak without cracking my voice: "I didn't know you cared so much about me."

"Leonard, I must be on the bridge." I felt him turn to go.

"Please, be careful," I blurted out.

"Why, Doctor," he replied smartly. "I didn't know you cared so much about me."

"Spock...I..." I couldn't finish that sentence. I wouldn't know what I would do if something happened to him.

"I am locking this cubicle under mine or Dr. M'Benga's voice-print," he said. "That should sufficiently protect you from harm."

"Don't worry about me. Get those Runes back from Jim."

"Rest." I felt a wave of...something from him...but I couldn`t place the emotion. I heard the swoosh-swoosh of the doors as he walked out.

I pulled the covers up to my shoulders. After a very long time, I drifted off to sleep.

-----------

I started awake.

I'd thought I'd heard a noise. My had flew to my face. I should tear these bandages off.

No...I'm imagining things. I'm being paranoid. Again. Go back to sleep, Len.

No wait...Someone _was_ in here in the cubicle with me.

I could feel it.

"M'Benga?" I called out. I thrust my hand out. And felt air.

Maybe I was imagining things. Or dreaming. Yeah, that must be it. I had to have been dreaming. Go back to sleep, Len. Just another nightmare.

I let my hand fall back down to my chest. My heart was pounding in my ear. I tried to calm down enough to go back to sleep.

Unnerving when you couldn't see a thing.

Then... I heard a step.

I bolted upright at the noise and scrabbed at my bandages, ripping them off. Even with them off, I found that I still couldn't see. Or was it just pitch dark in here? "Spock?" I called out. " M'Benga? Christine? Who`s there?" There was no answer and again I thrust both of my hands out and again felt nothing but air. My breathing rasped as the hair on my arms pricked up. "Who's there?" I called out again. I knew the fear had crept into my voice. "_Who's there_?"

No answer. Maybe I WAS imagining things.

I heard another step.

There was somebody in here. I wasn't imagining things.

//_Spock_..// I called out in my mind. //_help me... help me.../_/

Wait a minute...I suddenly realized that...I couldn't feel him! For the first time since we'd accidentally bonded, I couldn't feel Spock's presence. Normally I knew exactly where he was on the ship. But not now. Where the hell was he? I felt sheer panic. Was that me? Or maybe it was him? //_Spock? Spock? Are you there?/_//

I needed help. Breathing heavily, I clawed around for the comn unit but I couldn't find that either.

There was a step. I jumped off of the bed and backed against the wall, my hands frantically searching for the door release. I was locked in here. There was another step toward me.

"No!" I screamed out, till a body pinned me against the bulkhead and an icy cool blade pressed against my neck. I sucked in my breath and froze. The blood drained. Oh no… This was all too real.

"Okay," I breathed out. "You managed to get in here somehow. Did M'Benga let you in? He must have. Well, you won, Jim. Didn't you." //_Spock.../_/ "You waited till I was alone and vulnerable. Well here I am." //_Spock…/_/ Maybe if I kept Jim talking I could stall him till help could arrive. Except… he wasn't talking. He meant business.

I heard an unearthly chuckle from him as the blade tightened against my neck.

"Is this how it ends, Jim? Is this what you really want? Do you really want to kill me?"

No answer.

"I'm not going to beg for my life," I said. "I won't do it. But you'll regret this. As soon as you do this you'll realize what you've done, Jim. Court martial, Jim. Even if you are possessed by an ancient Vulcan. Is this what you want? To lose everything? Lose your ship? Your command?" //_Spock../_/

No answer.

"Just put the knife down, Jim. I know you`re in there, held hostage in your mind. You can fight this. Listen to reason, Jim. It`s me, your best friend. Bones!"

Another hideous laugh. I didn't like the sound of that.

Then the blade tightened. I sucked in my breath. It was cutting me. It hurt. //_Spock…please…/_/ "You hid those Runes so Spock and I couldn't finish them, right Jim?" //_Spock...ohdeargodpleasehelpme_...// "For God's sake, talk to me, Jim!"

Another laugh.

//_Spock…/_/ "What did you do to him? I can't feel him," I gasped. "Did you already kill him?" A tear. "Did you murder my... bondmate?"

Another laugh, and the blade pressed in even tighter.

"You did. Didn't you. You murderer. You killed him--" My voice broke. The salt of my tears burned my unbandaged eyes something awful. I didn't care.

He held the blade there as if deciding what to do. Well now I was going to decide for him. "What are you waiting for? You've won. Finish me off, Jim! I don't want to live without my bondmate. Just go ahead and kill me."

"_Not… yet_," I heard a voice reply. "_Not until... I am finished... with you_."

___________________________

END OF CHAPTER 18


	19. Chapter 19

Title: "The Runes" Chapter 19

Author: T'Prillah

Codes: TOS, NC-17, S/Mc

____________________

THE RUNES (CHAPTER 19)

I screamed once more, till a hand clamped over my mouth. I bit my lip as it happened and my tongue tasted blood. I was then spun around and pushed violently against the bulkhead. My shoulder hit it hard and I heard a slight crack. A piercing pain ran down my arm. I gasped.

With the knife pressed against my neck, I then felt a sharp panic as the other hand fumbled around, trying to pull off my sickbay jumpsuit. He'd managed to get the top off and his mouth bit down hard onto my exposed shoulder as his hands tried to get the waist strap undone. I saw white pain and couldn't shake his mouth off of me.

He was still fumbling with the bottom of the jumpsuit. The damned thing was a bastard to remove at the best of times. I knew he was forced to try to remove it one handed as he had the other hand on his knife.

That was it. I seized my chance.

I knew couldn't fight him off me with brute strength. Jim was slightly stronger than I was, generally, but I could have taken him on. However, as he was now possessed by an ancient Vulcan, I could feel his strength at twice that. I needed a weapon.

I was calm. And in my very strangely serene, analytical mind... I... remembered that prayer Spock had taught me last week. I'd remembered he'd translated it into Vulcan and then very obsessively had made a whole document filled with that one prayer. Over and over he'd typed that damn thing in. Reading it had given me the chills...but he'd said something about it ...He'd done it for...For protection. I'd memorized it myself…just in case. Not very logical but there was no harm in trying it out.

I called out: "_Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echod_!"

"He's coming around."

"What is that he's saying?"

I struggled, but there was someone holding my shoulders down. The bandages were back, covering my eyes. I thought I'd torn them off. I reached up to pull them off again, but my hand was restrained from doing so.

I felt the hands on my shoulders shake me. "Easy! Easy..." I stiffened at the voice.

"It's YOU, Jim!" I struggled valiantly to twist away from the hands that held me down. "YOU, Jim!" I screamed out. "You fucking murderer! You killed Spock, and then you were ...coming after me! Oh...Spock...He`s dead!" I wailed and laid back, suddenly very weak. "He's...dead..."

"I am not dead."

What? I reached out, the relief poured out of me! Was that really him? "Spock?"

"Yes, Doctor. It is me."

"I can...I can feel you again!"

"Doctor..."

"You're... alive? How is that possible? I couldn't feel you... What happened to you? I tried to contact you, but I couldn't feel you! My..._T'hy'la_...why didn't you help me?"

"_T'hy'la_?!" M'Benga's voice.

"Dr. McCoy. You have been unconscious," Spock answered quickly.

"No, I wasn't!" I insisted as I continued struggling against all the hands that held me down. "Spock? I called you! Why wouldn't you answer? I thought you were dead!" Why wouldn`t anybody help me? Jim was trying to... "Jim was in here with me. Somebody help me!"

"Bones?" Jim's voice again. "Bones! Bones! You're safe! You`re in the sickbay!"

"Stay the hell away from me, Jim!" I struggled hard. Harder than I'd ever done in my life.

This was a trick. It had to be a trick.

"Hypo."

----------------

I woke up again many hours later, with the noises of the main sickbay ward fading into my consciousness. This time there was only Spock and M'Benga present. At least that's all I could hear, hovering over me.

I'd still struggled. This time I was held in restraints. I had to get away but Spock had taken hold of my shoulders. He kept repeating to me that I was hallucinating when I'd thought Jim was in the cubicle with me.

Hallucinating? No! I'd been injured!. I was in pain from the injuries. Jim was trying to kill me. No...according to Spock that wasn`t the case. I was physically okay. Nothing had really happened. I had been locked in the cubicle, just like we'd planned. Only M'Benga and Spock could have entered that cubicle.

So, after about ten: "Are you absolutely sure about that, Spock?" 's from me and verbal confirmation from Dr. M'Benga, I finally believed my bondmate. Well, Spock wasn't going to lie to me, was he? I'd know if he was. Right? Now, he was here in my head...just like always. Not dead after all. I guess I had been hallucinating.

Dr. M'Benga was doing his part, also trying to talk some sense into me and I suppose he had no reason to lie to me, either. I finally had to believe them. What else could I do? I was vulnerable. Blind. I had to trust them. I didn't want to. But I had to. It was bizarre. The nightmare had felt so real, but stranger things have happened to me.

I'll tell you one thing when I am able to see again, I am going to undergo a complete physical and psychological exam, and scrutinize the findings with a fine tooth comb. But until then I felt powerless.

All of this was a relief. Embarrassing as hell, but a relief.

And now thanks to my big mouth. Dr. M'Benga and everybody else in the sickbay watching my episode most likely now knew about Spock and I being bonded; the way I'd been acting towards him. Or at the very least M'Benga now did. I'd even called Spock a very private name in public.

I just wish we could find those damned Runes.

Then, to my amazement, as soon as M`Benga left the ward, Spock leaned over and whispered to me that he'd found them! He'd actually found them! I guess they'd been in Jim's quarters, after all. I brightened up considerably. Finally we were going to be able to end this mess we'd gotten ourselves into.

Dr. M'Benga returned to the ward to check up on me and I convinced him that I was really going to be okay from now on and not a permanent candidate for the Federation Funny Farm.

Spock also managed to convince my ACMO to allow me to further recuperate from my operation in quarters. Perhaps I would sleep better as well. M'Benga had protested of course, like the good physician he was, but he finally relented. He granted Spock a 24 hour medical leave to look after me. He reminded the two of us that he would grant the leave only if Spock would watch me like a hawk for any other psychotic episodes. I swore up and down to my very wary assistant that my previous outburst had only been a fluke.

Now, an hour later according to ship's bells, I sat on Spock's bunk, feeling my way though pulling off these boots and socks.

I had been walked to Spock's quarters still dressed of course in that difficult to remove sickbay patient attire, but now I wanted this get-up off of me as soon as possible. I was still shaken from the memory...I mean...the hallucination of Jim's hands on me.

I suddenly felt Spock attempting to help me. I elbowed him away. "I'll manage. I'm not a damned invalid. I'm only out of commission, temporarily."

"I promised Dr. M'Benga that I would assist you." There was a soft thump and a rustle as he laid his Vulcan robe down next to me. He'd already figured I'd wanted to wear it. Well, he was right. I did.

"He said to look after me, Spock. Looking after me doesn't include treating me like a goddamned China doll."

"China doll?"

"Never mind. Sorry about that, by the way. Outing us to M'Benga."

"Understandable under the circumstances."

I chuckled at that. "You really don't care who knows. Do you."

He didn't answer me but I could feel him study me closely. "Will you be alright?"

"Yeah," I said tightly.

"You suffered quite an intense psychotic outburst while you were unconscious."

"Are you sure it was just a psychotic outburst, Spock? Are you sure it wasn't really Jim in there with me?"

"You still are not convinced?"

"Yeah, I believe you," I replied. "It's just bizarre. I was probably more upset that I couldn't feel you."

"I was with you. As always."

"Yes," I finally said. "I guess so."

"Are you certain that you will be alright?"

"I'll be fine," I insisted. "After we finish those Runes, it'll be all over with. If you say I was psychotic, then I was. I don't want to discuss it anymore."

"I shall make you something to eat," he replied gently.

"I'm not hungry."

"Incorrect. You are famished."

I was trying to fiddle with the fastenings on the sickbay jumpsuit. "Alright...Spock," I said with reluctance. "I suppose some assistance in removing this damned thing would be nice."

I felt his hands undo it deftly, then slip it off of me. The fingers then reached up to pull up my undershirt. I reached up with a hand to caress my shoulder where I thought Jim had bitten me. Okay, I was fine. It did hurt a little, but it was probably my imagination.

As he put the Vulcan robe on me, I realized that Spock had never complained once when I'd taken to wearing this thing. I wish I had my own. It was so comfortable to lounge around in, I was going to miss wearing it, too. "I want to do the final rune first. Before I eat," I insisted when he'd finished.

"Eat, first. Then you require a shower."

"You're stalling. I've never known you to stall. You`re also claiming that I smell bad."

"I would prefer for you to be pleasantly scented while we copulate," he said, deadpan but I suddenly felt a large wave of amusement from him.

"Then we'll `copulate' as you say, in the shower. After we draw a Rune," I said.

"Eat first," he countered.

"Dammit Spock! Let`s get this thing over with!"

There was no reply from him, only footsteps away from me as he presumably went over to the office chamber to punch some buttons on the food replicator. He came back up to me and with a tap I heard him set the tray on the ledge. He pulled up a seat next to the bed. "Here...give it to me," I commanded.

"Allow me."

"Spock! I don't need you to--" I was interrupted by a spoon at my lips. It was chicken soup and it smelled delicious. I took a bite.

"I surmised that you would prefer this as opposed to vegetarian," he explained as he held the spoon.

"I could have eaten something vegetarian," I protested. "However, this is nice. Thank you. But I can feed myself." I grabbed at the spoon but he'd pulled it away. Against all my complaints, I again felt the spoon against my lips. I shook my head and took another bite. This continued on till I'd finished the whole bowl. "Hmmmm, thank you." I heard another soft tap as he placed the bowl on the tray. "Spock..." I grumbled at him dangerously.

"Yes, _T'hy'la_?"

"You enjoyed that."

"I do not know what you mean."

"Yes you do. You enjoy waiting on me...almost too much. You like forcing me to accept your goddamned help. Well don't get used to it. I'm the doctor around here, remember? And--"

"Would you like me to shampoo your hair?"

"No!" Then after a moment, I said: "If you want."

I felt him unfasten then pull the robe off of me. I pulled my underwear off and allowed myself to be guided to the bathroom.

In the shower he turned on the water. In the choice between water or sonics, I always chose water. He usually tried to lecture me on how illogical a water shower was. He didn't lecture me now. He merely adjusted the temperature to the level that I might approve of. I dove a hand in to test it. I nodded and he pulled me in with him. The small bandages on my eyes were of course completely waterproof. Spock spent the next ten minutes giving an almost sensual head massage as he washed my hair then my whole body. "I should have let you do this for me more often," I murmured. It had felt wonderful.

"Yes. You should."

The shower finished, he guided me out, towel dried my hair for me then pressed my toothbrush into my hand. "I will do this activity...by myself," I said.

"Will you ever use the mouth plaser?"

"Never," I mumbled with toothbrush in mouth. I finished up, then leaned over and kissed him. "How's that?"

"Your beard repressor has worn off."

"Quit stalling! Let's get to the Runes. What's the matter with you?"

"Shall I assist you with shaving?" he offered.

"No." I sighed, then reached up, touched my face and changed my mind. "You ever use an old fashioned razor?"

"I have not had the opportunity."

"There is a first time for everything. I've got one in my kit," I said. "Use it. And the cream, too." He pulled me to face the sink. "This is how they did it every morning before they invented the repressor. Don't cut me."

"Leonard, the mastery of this activity should not be that difficult. Hold still."

I squirmed as he slathered the shaving cream onto my face. "Don't use so damned much," I complained. "This isn't synth stuff, either You'll have to conserve."

"Relax, Leonard."

"Hmmm," I sighed. "I remember my wife did this for me a couple of times."

"Ex-wife," he corrected, seemingly preoccupied, obviously concentrating hard on running the blade down my face and the area above my lip.

"Whatever. Ex-wife. She shaved me a couple of times. Actually, it's kind of erotic, and we had--_Oww_! _God dammit_!"

"My apologies, Leonard."

"I told you not to cut me! You damned lunatic!"

"If you will stop fidgeting, I shall endeavor not to cut you again."

I forced myself to relax as he ran the blade down the other side of my cheek, rinsed it off in the water then ran it down my chin. After a few minutes, he proclaimed he was finished.

"Good." I leaned over, located his mouth and gave him a wet kiss.

"Leonard, I did not have the opportunity to wipe all of the cream off of you."

"You shouldn't have put so much on. Is it all over you, too?"

"Affirmative."

"Too bad." I kissed him again. "I wish I could see that sight."

"I enjoy the scent of this," he said.

"You would. It is nice, isn't it. I should do this to you one of these days. "

He didn't answer as he wiped a towel against my face.

"Runes, now. No arguments," I ordered.

"Over here." He pulled me by the elbow over near the bed, thrusting the open bag into my hand.

"Spock, where ever did you find them?" I wondered. "Were they in Jim's quarters?"

"I shall explain later," he said, faintly. And then there was something in that...

"What's wrong, Sweetheart?" I asked him.

"Nothing is wrong, Leonard."

"Yes, there is," I observed. "I feel a hint of sadness, hesitation and some regret from you."

"I see that you are able to read my emotions quite well."

"Well, of course I can, Spock. I'm your bondmate." I dove my hand into the bag and fingered a rune. "Why aren't you relieved to be finished with all of this? I mean soon you'll have your quarters back all to yourself after having to share with me for fourteen days straight. Surely it hasn`t been easy on you, dealing with me and my mess and complaining about everything--"

"I have gotten used to you living here."

I chuckled. "Yeah...I guess...I've...uh...I've gotten a little used to living here, too."

"As you always say, Leonard, one can get used to anything."

"I never say that." I selected a rune from the bag and held it in my hand for him to pluck out. "Okay, read it."

There was a sound of Spock clearing his throat. That was one of the most human sounds I'd ever heard him make, but he did it every so often. When he was uncomfortable. "Fascinating," he whispered. "The word has not changed in thousands of years..."

"What word?" I prodded.

"_Ashau_," he replied hesitantly.

"What the hell does that--"

"_Ashau_ or _Ashaya_, Leonard, is the affirmation..."

"The affirmation? Affirmation of what?"

"Love."

"Love? So what are we supposed to do?"

"We must express...the affirmation of...love...to each other..."

"What? You mean, I'm supposed to tell you that... I love you? And you're supposed to say it back to me?"

"Apparently so."

"Woah, now." I grabbed his arm. "Wait a minute. Nobody said anything about us saying: 'I love you'. This is ridiculous. We were just supposed to have sex to lift this curse. Not fall in love."

"Indeed."

"I mean this is going to be a problem. I mean I know the _FthinraKathir_ was an extremely sensual species, with all their love songs, and poetry and art and whatever...but what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Well. Modern Vulcan's don't feel love. You're a Surakian follower. A logic embracer. And, my Vulcan friend, love certainly isn't logical."

"Not everything about Vulcans is entirely ruled by logic," he replied back, a little sharper than he usually did. "Obviously, we do feel love for our mates. While we express it quite differently than a human would, the emotion is felt rather strongly."

"Testy. Testy. I was just making an observation."

"An incorrect one."

"If you say so. Look, Spock. I don't mean to be nasty, but I know this whole physical relationship of ours was just a glorified 'fling'. Are the Runes going to 'know' we're not really in love?"

"We shall have to attempt the task, regardless."

I sighed. Alright. This couldn't be too difficult. Just three little words. And we were done. We should count ourselves lucky, I guess. "Well, here goes. I love you." There was no reply from him. "Spock?" I tried again. "I said, `I love you.'"

After a beat, he replied, "You did not mean what you said."

"Of course I didn't, Spock. You know that."

"Please try to mean what you say. Then it will be acceptable."

"Spock, _T'hy'la_, I'm trying to tell you. We're not in love. I mean...the Runes must know this. Don't they?" I shook my head. "Okay. Fine. I love you."

"You still did not mean it."

"Yes I did! This time I meant it."

"You did not. That was unacceptable."

"Oh Jesus," I groaned. "_I love you_. Is that better? Now say it back to me, before I strangle you."

"I cannot."

I took a deep breath to avoid decking him on the spot. "Why the hell not, Spock?"

"Leonard," he replied indignantly. "It might an easy thing for you to say rather flippantly--"

"That wasn't flippant! I`d put a lot of feeling into it that time. Say it back!"

"I am trying. It is an extremely...difficult thing... for me to verbalize. Modern Vulcan society--"

"Modern Vulcan society be damned! We have to say it. So... say it, dammit!"

"Vulcans do not take the emotion of love lightly. The precise verbiage articulates a deep and intense emotion."

"They're just three little words, Spock! The sooner you do this. The sooner I can get out of here. The sooner we'll be free of the curse. What the hell are you waiting for?"

"It is difficult--"

"Oh...hell! You know what I think?" I huffed. "I think you're full of shit! You'd rather us die, than actually say it. You know what? I think modern Vulcan's CAN'T love. I don't think you're capable of it. You lost that ability though the years, when you stuffed everything down thanks to good old Surak. He did you and your kind a terrible disservice. It might be beneficial for you to actually tell somebody you love them once in a while, to actually feel real romantic love for someone, instead of fooling yourself--"

"I do say 'it'," he interrupted me. "Like this." He grabbed my wrist with one hand, and with the other hand touched my two fingers with his two fingers.

I gasped at the contact. The familiar feeling was back. Intertwining though my mind. It was much, much stronger this time. "This means, `I love you?'" I squeaked out.

"If you would let me explain to you, Leonard, the words expressing love are so sacred to modern Vulcans that we do not actually speak them out loud in any language. Instead, we express love by this gesture."

I paused at that. He'd done this "gesture" to me a number of times since we'd began sleeping together. I'd figured it was just something that Vulcan's did...I don't know what I thought it meant. He began sliding the fingers down to my wrist. Then back to my fingers, then down my wrist, then down my arm. I gulped. "Wait a minute. You can't fake this. You mean to say...you really do love me?"

"Apparently so, Leonard."

I staggered a little. He grabbed my arm and propelled me over to the bed. I was flabbergasted. I plunked down heavily onto the bunk. "You're in love with me?"

"I do not mean to upset you."

"I can feel it. You're not faking it." I grinned a dopey grin. "You're in love with me."

"Leonard."

"When did this happen? Did it happen when we began sleeping together? I mean, it does happen... it`s normal...for people to fall for each other during a fling...I mean...but you..."

"No, the emotion did not manifest itself during `our fling' as you keep referring to it."

"Well then, when?"

"Before that."

"Before? How long before?" I demanded, then I came up with the answer on my own. "Oh I see. Before we'd even started the Runes. Oh my, I hadn`t paid attention. I was too wrapped up in myself to notice what you were feeling. Now it`s all too clear. That feeling when you touch me. It`s pure... love."

"Soon after I'd made your aquaintence," he explained. "I developed intense feelings of attraction for you. It has now deepened into this."

"All those damned arguments between us masked the fact that you had a crush on me. A crush. Just like a normal human being!" I laughed hysterically.

"Please do not be insulting."

I lay back and pulled him down with me by the arm. We lay side by side on the bed, him presumably staring up at the ceiling and me with my bandaged eyes, still seeing complete blackness. I said gently. "I don't mean to be insulting. This is just...a shock."

"Yes, I understand that it is," he said. "It was for me as well. It took me some time to acknowledge the depth of my attraction to you. However after experiencing the psychic influence of the _FthinraKathi_ culture through the Runes, I now am comfortable with expressing it."

"I don't know what to say." I grabbed onto his hand. "But...why me? I thought I irritated the shit out of you."

"I discovered that I would seek your company out repeatedly so that you would irritate me. I also found myself deliberately antagonizing you in return simply because I enjoyed witnessing the reaction you would invariably have."

"Really? I'm that predictable?"

"You are."

I chuckled and said: "I love you, Spock."

"Yes," he said softly, almost a gasp. His hand tightened on mine. "I can feel it."

"But...I make one rotten husband," I admitted.

"You have done admirably so far."

"Thanks," I said, and cleared my throat, "but what I`m trying to say is that...uh...I'm NOT exactly comfortable with all of this. I need time to think about things. Sort things out. I`m not convinced that this," I gestured back and forth with my other hand, "between us is such a good idea." Saying that to him made me feel like the worst person in the universe. But it had to be said. "I enjoyed this time together...I really did...but...I'm really attracted to women. The first curvy redhead that came along and I'd..." I explained. "God…" I gasped. "I'm… sorry." I felt like an absolute prick.

He didn't seem upset when he replied, "That is fair enough. In the mean time, the curse has ended. We are now free of it."

"Free!" I laughed softly. "Well...that was easy."

We fell asleep, right where we were, clutching hands.

____________________

END OF CHAPTER 19


	20. Chapter 20

The Runes: Chapter 20

Author: T'Prillah

Beta: Thanks always to McCoySpockLove for the beta, all errors are mine.

See Chapter 1 for Codes, Warnings, disclamer etc.

_______________________________________________

THE RUNES (Chapter 20)

"Open your eyes. Slowly."

I opened an eyelid but swiftly clamped it closed it again.

"Are you still feeling discomfort?" M'Benga was controlling his voice, but I could still detect a slight hint of worry.

Discomfort. That was an understatement If I ever heard one. This had been the third treatment today in an attempt to stabilize my eyes after the initial surgery to replace my rapidly disintegrating optic tissue. My eyeballs still felt like they were pierced by a million needles every time I was forced to open them. Worse yet, I still was unable to see.

"You're going to have to open them again, Doctor, please," my esteemed colleage continued.

I took a deep breath and did as asked. It was agony but I gritted my teeth and kept them open. Finally, I couldn't stand it any longer and shut them again.

"Anything?"

I propped up on my elbows. There was something... "Geoff," I said. "Now instead of complete darkness, I was able to make out a dark blur with bright spots."

"That appears promising," noted the one who was standing over in the corner with arms folded, presumably holding up the bulkhead as he had been all morning.

"That's helpful. Aren't you due on the bridge?" I snapped out half-heartedly to my bondmate. M'Benga tactfully hadn't mentioned it, but I'm certain he'd noticed the double stripes on this uniform I was wearing.

I'd jolted awake this morning in Spock's quarters without the usual computer alarm, which he'd always set for my benefit and called out: "Time?" in a scratchy, slightly panicked voice.

According to the computer, It was precisely two hours before I needed to be in sickbay. It was unnerving having to wake up to complete darkness, not being able to call the lights up to remedy the situation. Someone had once said that on a starship, morning appeared when you ordered on the lights. For the third day in a row, I was caught in the clutches of the night. I could not get used to it. There was a distinct possibility that my blindness might become permanent. Granted, there were many types of sensor webs I could wear, and there were many blind physicians but could I honestly perform all the duties of a CMO aboard a starship? Perhaps I could manage it, maybe Spock and I could even design a sensor web together. Although, Starfleet Medical would have to agree to it and they most likely wouldn't. I'd have to resign. I tried not to think about that eventuality, not yet. Instead, at the moment, I tried to concentrate on more...pressing things.

Spock and I had fallen asleep last night side by side, not touching but for our hands. However, I'd noticed that sometime during the night I must have turned myself around. I could feel the warm, dry skin of his shoulder against my face, skin that always felt so different to my own. I lay between his legs with my head nestled into the crook of his arm, his arms locked around me in a seemingly protective embrace.

Every night that we'd slept next to each other, baring night watches, we'd always done a seemingly erotic, tumbling sleep dance. We both slept in the nude, at least while together. I'd often wake up in the night with him laying partially on top of me, the weight of his dense frame putting my shoulder to sleep. I'd shift around and push his heavy frame off of me. I would doze off again and wake once more to find myself laying completely on top of him, the warmth of his body underneath mine making me sweat in rivers. I'd un-stick myself from him and flip over. He'd usually respond to that in his sleep by spooning up against me and wrapping his arms around my waist. Who'd a thought he would be a cuddler. I was usually sweaty enough as it was from the combination of his body heat and the warmth of his quarters, but I somehow managed to fall asleep again in his tight grasp, then wake up once again to find myself spooning him, my hard dick resting between his thighs. It was as if we couldn't get enough of each other, even in our sleep.

I'd noticed all of this especially because Jocelyn and I had always slept with our backs to one another and never in the nude. And when Joanna was a newborn, on those precious nights when I wasn't sleeping in a bunk at the hospital or making rounds, I often fell asleep before the late news was over with, in the rocking chair, clutching my sweet little baby.

This morning in Spock's arms, I'd noticed that my typical morning erection poking into his thigh was even more prominent than usual. Maybe my dick knew that this was the last time I'd be waking up in this bed and wanted a farewell roll in the hay. Well, perhaps Spock would be up for it. Maybe not. "Morning..." I muttered softly. My lips found his forehead and kissed it tenderly.

"Good morning," he replied in that husky, just woken up voice of his. My breath quickened at the sound of it. I felt his hand snake between us.

"You don't need to do that." I chuckled, embarrassed, into his chest. "I'll just... take care of it in the shower."

"You are my bondmate. I wish to satisfy you." Oh he did, did he? I was reluctant at first but his warm grasp felt so good that I eventually found myself shamelessly thrusting against it. I groaned in pleasure, but eventually stopped him with a hand. He immediately understood.

He lay back on the bunk and let me explore him with my fingertips. I ran a hand lightly along his chest, the hair tickling my palm. I heard his breath catch when I brushed a nipple, then traced my finger around it. Moving away from the nipples, I ran my fingers down to his side to feel his heartbeat. I felt a wave of amusement from him and realized that I did that all the time in bed: felt his heart rate through the cavity or took a sneaky reading of the radial pulse. Old habits die hard, I suppose.

My fingers lightly darted over then down the left arm and located that two centimeter in diameter scar in the center of his left bicep. It was a twentieth century Tuberculosis vaccine. It was the old Bacille Calmette-Guérin inoculations that they used to give, leaving a telltale scar. It'd been administered to Jim and Spock by a nurse in the Nineteenth Street shelter where they'd met Edith Keeler as they searched for me on old Earth. I don't remember much about it but for one major thing. The ships logs had stated how I'd had that hypo accident, overdosed and in my psychosis leapt though the guardian. They didn't mention the tragedy that had ultimately happened. The three of us would never forget that day. I knew I'd never forget. I'd watched it all. I'd felt Spock's eyes on me and Jim had hid his face in my arms, but I'd watched her die.

I'd never get over the guilt of her death, either. Funny isn't it, how the stupid things we do can cause someone elses innocent death further along the road.

Anyway, Spock hadn't even known if the vaccine was safe for Vulcans to receive but of course I'd left off of chewing him out for it. When we all had returned to the ship and I'd fully recovered from the effects of the Cordrazine, Jim had immediately requested to have his scar removed. Spock on the other hand, had declined my offer.

My fingers ran down from the scar to the wrist to his fingers. I sensed the humming electricity from them creeping into my own hand and traveling up my arm to my brain like a million ants. The sensation was more intense than ever so I immediately jerked my hand away. Instead, I grabbed hold of his naked hip and sat up on my haunches, resumed my tracing down his leg, to the bony knee to the calves to the feet, then repeating this on the other leg. I was committing his entire body to memory. I delighted in the fact that I could feel what he was feeling. There was absolute acceptance from him of my explorations. I slithered up, covering his highly aroused body with my own highly aroused body. I felt the warmth of his penis along mine. I reached up to touch his face and ran a finger down his smile lines that oddly enough he possessed just like I did, even though he rarely cracked a smile. I traced down a line to his chin, noticing that his beard repressor had slightly worn off, the erupting stubble very soft to my touch. Then his lips. I continued on with my explorations till I was so aroused that I couldn't stand it. I clamped a hand around the both of us and brought us both to climax. Somehow being blind made the sensations much more intense. I lay exhausted, on top of him and both of us covered in each other's fluids.

Till I had to get up to pee…and I was going to need his help again. "Spock, I have to go..."

"...go."

"Hmph?" My brain snapped back to the present and my nose registered the smells of the sickbay. "Yeah, I'm here."

"I'm releasing Mr. Spock back to bridge duty," M'Benga said. "I was merely telling him he could go."

I felt my bondmate hesitate.

"Go," I insisted. "I'm sure Jim's itching to have you back on that bridge. I'll see you later."

"One would certainly hope so." There was a swoosh as he was out the door.

--------------------

Many hours later, around 24:30, I sat at my desk in my office, a glass of brandy in hand. I sipped it slowly. It was smooth and slid down my throat nicely. Lord knows after all the tedious and excruciatingly painful medical treatments that went on all day today with me as the unfortunate guinea pig, I desperately needed the drink.

The doors opened. I turned around and flashed a huge welcoming smile. "Hi!" I held out two fingers.

However, Spock didn't approach me, he simply stood there in the doorway. "Your eyes are bluer," he noted.

I chuckled. "Yeah. It's these gel lenses. I'll wear them for a couple of weeks, till my eyes are completely healed. I'm running on synthetic optical tissue so my vision is still seriously sub par. I'm still considered legally blind, but at least with Retnax 5 and these lenses working in tandem I'm now able to see well enough for light duty."

"I felt your elation at your breakthrough," he said.

I grinned as I got up and walked toward him. "I missed you." I rested my hands on his shoulders but felt him stiffen perceptively under my grasp. "Don't worry. I'll be just fine."

"Yes."

"I'm happy to finally be able to actually see your face again," I said. "Though, If I closed my eyes, I'd know your body simply by touch."

"Yes," he said again, haltingly. I studied him with a crinkled brow. He was distracted. He felt awkward in my presence. Something between us had changed.

"Something the matter, Lover?" I asked. I dropped my hands and cleared my throat.

"Doctor." He walked away from me and sat on the other side of my desk, motioning for me to join him. "I would appreciate it if you would not address me in such a manner while we are in the duty areas of the ship."

"Of course, Mr. Spock. Please forgive me," I said, dripping in not a little sarcasm as I returned to my desk. "I am NOT on duty this evening, I'm simply here, relaxing. I figured that since we are alone and not in earshot of anyone in the sickbay, it would be alright. Apparently I have made a grievous error. How stupid of me."

He ignored my comment and pointed to my brandy glass. "I am able to feel the effects of the alcohol you are consuming."

"Is that why you're so testy?"

"Negative," he replied stonily.

"Block it out if it bothers you so much," I countered.

"I cannot, not at this close a range with you."

"So you're getting drunk too?" I smiled at that.

"I find the sensation annoying."

"Did you just finish your shift?"

"I am merely on meal break. I am on double watch on the bridge tonight, to make up for the medical absence."

"Just a minute," I said. I went to the food re-constitutor and slid in a diet card, pulled out a tray with a bowl of _Plomeek_ soup and some Vulcan _E'lhleaha_ bread and a piece of fruit and set it in front of him. "Here. I don't want you to starve on my account. Plus you won't get as tipsy on a full stomach. And if you really find it annoying, I'll give you an anti-alcohol hypo."

"Doctor, that shall not be necessary, I merely--"

"Eat," I commanded then smirked. "Unless you'd like me to feed it to you."

He quickly picked up a spoon and started eating the soup. "A peach?" He gestured at the fruit.

"Oh that's for me." I picked it up and hefted it. "Unless you'd like to have it."

"I would not."

I sighed, bit into the peach and swallowed the juicy flesh. Still not as good as a real one.

After a long, heavy, protracted silence I asked him: "So, uh...did you send the Runes back to Vulcan yet?"

"I did."

More silence between us, then I prompted: "So...now what?"

"Now...nothing."

"Do you still..." I broke off. Was he still in love with me? Or had it just been the Runes talking?

"The accompanying rampant emotionalism that I suffered in response to the artifact has seemingly been eradicated," he stated calmly.

I stared at him in shock for a few seconds as the words sunk in. "Rampant emotionalism? Oh...I see. I thought I noticed something odd about you. So that's how you're dismissing what happened between us. As...rampant emotionalism."

"I am not dismissing it. What you and I participated in did occur. However--"

"Well that's just fine, Mr. Spock," I snapped. "Congratulations, you've managed to return to your typical cold-blooded self. I always wondered how we were going to handle the fallout from this."

"Doctor."

I placed both palms on my desk and said very quietly. "I'll have my belongings out of your quarters before you return to them. Do I have your leave to enter?"

"Regardless of any leave I may or may not give, you enter my quarters seemingly at will."

I glared at him. "I have a right to as CMO. I was simply trying to be _polite_, you blasted...Vulcan!"

"Indeed." He calmly took another spoonful of soup.

I poured myself another glass of brandy and drank most of it down. As I'd sat here in my office earlier, I had actually been considering asking him if he wouldn't mind continuing things. Based on what had happened this morning I'd thought...maybe we actually...especially what he'd told me last night...Perhaps we could...wait till the link dissipated, then resume things on a more casual basis. Maybe take it a little slower this time.

He'd obviously picked up my thoughts but replied to me verbally: "Doctor. You know as well as I do, a casual physical relationship between us is simply not possible. Any act of physical intimacy on our part would re-kindle the bond."

"Just like that, huh?"

"Affirmative. To end any and all physicality would be wise. Our link has been strengthening with each act of copulation--"

"Love-making," I corrected with a glare. "You may be glad it's over, but this meant something to me."

"Interesting. Last night you referred to it as a fling. You also stated that you preferred to be with women."

"I never said that," I protested.

"You certainly did."

"Well then, I was wrong," I shot back. "It did mean something to me. No matter what you think."

"May I remind you, any further sexual contact between us and we would be in danger of the bond becoming permanent."

"I know. I know." I cleared my throat and took another sip and another bite of the peach. "So...this is it...it's over between us."

"That is correct."

"And, no more touching. No matter how fleeting."

"Abstaining from any and all physical contact is absolutely necessary for the bond to fade. Even after it fades, we shall have to be careful not to casually touch each other."

I studied my hands. Hands that once caressed the body that sat in front of me. Hands that just this morning had wrung moans of pleasure out of him. Never again. "I'll have M'Benga treat you for any possible illness or injuries in the meantime."

"That would be sufficient," he replied.

I poured myself another glass of brandy and took another sip.

"Dr. McCoy, I am able to feel the effects of that."

I smacked my hand down hard onto the desk. His head jerked up in surprise. I controlled myself and said tightly: "Is there anything else you wished to discuss with me, Mr. Spock?"

"There is something else."

"And what's that?"

He seemed to take a deep breath. "Since... as of right now... you are still, officially, my spouse, it is my...wish... to notify you first."

"Don't tell me you're pregnant?" I snickered faintly then fell back into my glum stupor.

He said stiffly: "I plan to request a court martial hearing to convene at the earliest opportunity."

That woke me up. "What...what the hell for?"

"My irrational behavior while the Runes were located on board this vessel."

"You couldn't help your behavior, Spock. You were under a powerful influence. You said so yourself, you weren't normal. The Runes had you doing... and saying...all kinds of things that--" I sighed as my heart sank. "--that you would have never done or said in a million years, I guess. It wasn't your fault you were acting...sensually."

"Be that as it may, I am still responsible for my actions."

"What actions?"

"The actions which I will outline--"

"And I'm still your husband, officially," I retorted. "And I'm telling you that you're out of your Vulcan mind. You're not going to request a hearing. I refuse to allow it."

"You cannot prohibit me from doing so."

"Yes I can, on medical grounds," I insisted and took another sip of brandy. "I can, and I will. I'll fight you...say you're medically incompetent to stand a court martial. My logs will back me up. Jim would never go for this, either. You just try it, buddy." I stared him down and let him know that I meant it.

"Leonard..."

Oh, now it was back to _Leonard_. When he wanted something. "Yes?" I replied sweetly.

"If you knew exactly why I wished to be disciplined," he said, "perhaps you would not desire to fight me on it."

I'll bet you real money I already know what you're going to say. You can't hide everything from me. I'm your bondmate."

"I seduced you. Seduction of a fellow crewmate against their will is against regulation 23. A court martial offense--"

"Bullshit. It wasn't against my will. I didn't do anything I didn't want to do."

"You did not consent to sexual activity with me," he protested.

"Look, I may have been a little nervous or even outright scared at first. I'd never been with a man before, but I damn well consented to be with you--"

"You could not have properly consented, due to the curse."

"Listen you." I pointed at him. "I bought those Runes. If anybody is to be disciplined, it should be me. Maybe I should turn myself in and be drummed out of the service."

"You know that I do not wish for that to happen."

"Well, then..." I sighed. He still sat there stonily. "Okay...you have another reason for wanting disciplinary action?"

"Yes. I was dishonest with you."

"Really," I scoffed. "Well, that's not against regulation."

"Indeed it is. Willful dishonesty is against regulation 25.7a--"

"Oh for God's sake," I chuckled. "You mean you've been lying by omission. Spock, you do that all the time!" At his raised eyebrow, I added, "Yes, you certainly do omit information about yourself. I should of had you thrown in the brig for all the times you've been as tight lipped as an Aldeberan Shell Mouth even where medical history is concerned. Hell, you'll even die before you'll breathe a word sometimes. Yes, I know you have privacy issues and I've respected them, but do you realize that I've learned more about you in these past two weeks then I'd ever learned in the time I've served with you?"

He nodded.

"Besides," I continued. "That regulation is referring to on-duty behavior. This situation is a private matter between us."

He stared at me without bothering to hide the shock on his face.

I flashed a smug grin. "I told you, you can't hide much from me. You were too damned good at those blow-jobs, Sweetheart."

"You do not know who my first-time was with," he replied.

"Oh, indeed I do, my dear Mr. Spock. It was with Jim. I saw it in your memory. It happened when we first started the five year mission."

"How long have you known about Jim?"

"A while," I admitted. "I'd kept having strange dreams about Jim... or a threesome: you, Jim and I... Or I dreamt that I'd be sitting there watching you and him make love. So I started to suspect something might have really happened. I might have been sharing your dreams. Also, you have to admit Jim had been very hurt when he'd found out about you and I. And, then, finally, one night you and I were getting pretty into it, and I saw something in your mind...a memory of yours. Him on top of you. Then flashes of you, sucking him off--"

"And you said nothing about it? I was not aware that you knew."

"It wasn't that important...I guess. I had suspected something for a long while, then I knew the truth. I just never felt like arguing with you about it. We were already dealing with enough crap as it was. Besides, I figured there was some reason why you didn't want me to know. I even got visions of you with Leila Kalomi--"

"Fascinating. You knew about her as well."

"I didn't dwell on it, Spock. It really doesn't matter. I've done my fare share of sleeping around. Who am I to judge? Though I never thought that you of all people would have a sexual past."

"I should have told you."

I shrugged in response. "It doesn't matter. However, I am curious about something. How come you didn't bond with Jim or even with Leila?"

"I was already bonded to T'Pring at the time. If I hadn't been, bonding with either one still would have been impossible. They are psi-blind. I can only bond with another telepath."

"And that's me. Aren't I the lucky one."

He shrugged in a perfect imitation of me.

"Oh...I bet Jim was thrilled," I said. "He seems like the type that would jump at the chance to bond with you."

"He was to say the least...extremely unhappy about being completely incompatible with me."

I smirked again, devilishly. "Spock. About this...telepathic ability. Will it dissipate once the bond fades?"

"You have possessed the latent ability most likely from birth. I have simply… awakened it. You might develop a stronger version of the ability. I cannot ascertain at this time how strong it might get. However, you are not the only human on board with the ability. Dr. M'Benga is a touch telepath as well."

"He is? But how--?"

"He has Vulcan shielding in place. He trained on Vulcan due to his abilities."

I took another gulp of brandy. "That's just dandy. So he could probably sense my intimate thoughts."

"He would know not to and have the ability not to. It would be beneficial if you also received mind rules training on Vulcan," he replied, "to avoid picking up another's thoughts when you touch them. It could become distracting to you, eventually."

"I don't want to receive any training on Vulcan, thank you!" I snapped. "If anything gets stronger I'll deal with that when the time comes," I huffed. "So far nothing like that seems very likely. I can't sense anyone's thoughts besides your dour impressions."

"I should be getting back to the bridge," he said and picked up his tray.

I yanked the tray out of his hands and set it back down on my desk. "Spock. I know you don't want to end this bond with me. I can feel it."

"That is irrelevant. It must end."

"No. But see...Maybe, I could used to this, Spock," I found myself babbling. "Actually, It really isn't so bad, you being in my head. Maybe...maybe I will go to Vulcan and get trained up. Your mother did it for your father…I could do it for you."

"It is not what you truly want to do," he replied.

"Yes it is." I held out my two fingers. "Forget what I said before. I want to be with you, no matter what."

He lightly touched his own to mine, then suddenly jerked his hand away. "Stop."

I regarded him for a moment. "You're on duty...I understand." I turned back to my desk.

"There is a valid reason why we cannot stay bonded." The cold way he'd said that made me freeze and turn back to him.

"What is it?" I asked.

He sighed. "Leonard, you have not been… completely truthful with me. Have you."

_______________________________

Stay tuned for chapter 21


	21. Chapter 21

Title: The Runes: Chapter 21

Author: T'Prillah

Beta: McCoySpockLove (many thanks!)

Codes: S/Mc, Mc/f

Rating: M See chapter one for warnings, author notes, disclaimer.

_____________________________________________________________

THE RUNES--CHAPTER 21

"What are you accusing me of?!" I picked up his food tray off the desk and slammed it into the recycler. "You know everything _important_ about me that there is to know. Whether I wanted you to know it or not is a different story."

He got up and followed me. "That is untrue."

I ignored that little comment and moved away from him to my desk.

He followed me over. "While you appear to be quite adept at subterfuge, with each physical contact you and I have, we learn more and more about each other."

I still ignored him. Stared straight ahead.

He walked around the desk, stood very close to me, but not close enough to touch. "There is something important that you have omitted in our conversations," he whispered.

"Maybe it's none of your fucking business," I spat.

"Do I not deserve to know?"

I looked away and took a huge gulp of air. Maybe he did. "What I have done and am doing now... is not... illegal, Spock."

"On Earth, it is not."

"A lot of people do it."

"Should you?"

"Depends on who you ask."

"I am asking _you_."

My head went down onto my desk. I closed my eyes and waited for the axe to drop.

"You are still married to Jocelyn."

I was silent for a long while. Then: "Yes."

"Tell me."

"What I told you was true. I did discover her in bed with another man," I paused, took another deep breath. He waited for me to finish. "After I found them together...I didn't yell, I didn't make a fuss...I simply turned and walked out the front door... left everything behind, everything that I owned. I left my beautiful home and the family that I'd created and loved and never came back. I went to a bar, of course, to get seriously inebriated while I took stock of my miserable fucking life. I woke up on the floor in the men's room next to a teeming, overflowing toilet. And...after I'd thrown up my entire stomach content a couple of hundred times, I staggered up to wash my face. It was then that I noticed a flyer at the sink: An advertisement for Starfleet. I pulled out my phone, the only thing on me that hadn't been stolen while I had been passed out. I immediately filled out an application, borrowed a credit chip and took the next shuttle to San Francisco."

"What about your family?" he asked.

"I abandoned them," I said numbly. "I was a deadbeat father. You like that?" I sneered at him.

"You have lived with this guilt for a long time."

"I dunno. I left the two of them behind, but I couldn't bring myself to actually... file for divorce. Jo never filed, either. She could have. She should have, I'd of given everything to her, but she didn't."

"Your Starfleet records do not reflect--"

"Enough with the private snooping, Spock. I've just about had enough of it. My medical record is outstanding, so they don't seem to care much about my personal life. I lied on the app. Alright? Told them I was never married. In fact the only person who's bothered to check up on me is you."

"I see."

I studied him for a moment. Decided to confess even more. "Spock?"

"Yes, Doctor?"

"Want to know _why_ my wife cheated on me?"

"You do not need--."

"I was unfaithful to her."

"Leonard--"

I held up a hand and continued on. "I couldn't get it up half the time around her, Spock. I blamed her. Stupid, huh? I know better than that. I'm a damned doctor...but stupid me... I thought...well....she'd constantly made comments about my lack of sexual ability... so the first attractive young nurse that came along... I had to fool around with at the damned hospital... She'd found out somehow..." I stared off into space. I remembered it now like it was yesterday. "We never talked about what happened. We just pretended it never did. I still couldn't get it up around her. Then it was another nurse. Jo found out about her too. I figured I was gonna get it. She'd get revenge on me somehow. I just never thought I'd actually witness..."

"Is your wife currently involved with another man?" he asked, softly.

I looked up at him, a single tear rolling down my face. "Who cares. I don't deserve her. She only did it because of me. What I did. I'm the rotten bastard..." my voice cracked and I fought for control and finally found it. I wiped my face.

"What happened was fifteen years ago."

"Don't you think I know that?"

"You cannot change the past."

I set my jaw. "What is your point in bringing this up, anyway?"

"I maintain that you still have a emotional attachment to your wife. I believe that you should reconcile with her."

"No...Spock...no. You're way off this time. The relationship that she and I once had, it's long finished. Too much...water under the bridge."

"In the meantime, you are currently married to two individuals at the same time. Her and me."

"Is that all you care about, huh?" I barked out a harsh sound. "Fucking hell. That's a laugh. I wouldn't call this a marriage between us, Spock. Some Vulcan mumbo jumbo--"

"A bonding is equivalent to a marriage, on Vulcan. It is a member of the Federation, therefore it is valid on--"

"_Bonding with you wasn't my fault_!" I hissed. "I didn't ask for this--"

"No. The fault lies entirely with me. However, I must inform you, until the bonding fades, were I to die in the line of duty, everything I have would be yours."

"I don't want your shit," I snapped. "I don't anticipate anything happening to you within the next few weeks but just in case anything does, I want you to know I will have no claim on your estate."

"As you wish. However it all belongs to you."

"I don't care." Apparently this was his twisted way of trying to comfort me. I looked up at him and felt a wave of something. "We'll be done with each other soon. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Indeed. I must admit, I am uncomfortable with this situation. Bigamy was a common practice in ancient times, however, the practice is unheard of for modern Vulcans. We do not condone it."

"What do you mean, bigamy?! I'm not a bigamist...group marriage was made legal in 2091."

"You still love your wife."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"Fuck you. No I don't."

"If not, then, logically, you should divorce."

"Logically, huh? Who the hell are you to tell me what to do? I can't do it. I can't file. This way she has instant access to my accounts, our home. It's the least I can do for her."

"Would she not receive an appropriate divorce settlement?"

"Spock...shut the hell up."

He leaned over the desk. "It has been fifteen years, Leonard McCoy--"

"Go to hell--"

The doors suddenly swooshed open, Spock and I both jerked back from each other like we'd been shot. "Bones?" Jim came bounding happily though them. I just loved his enthusiasm.

I forced out a smile for him. "Hi Jim."

He gave me a concerned once over. "Have you been crying, Bones?"

"Who me? Jim? No..." I forced out a laugh. "When have you ever seen me cry, huh?"

"Your vision's returned!" he said ecstatically, grabbing onto my shoulders. I sharply pulled away from his grasp as I felt some of that mental energy of his creep into my mind like a hundred tingly spiders. My eyes widened. It couldn't be.

"Yeah," I chuckled, a little too casually to hide the shock. "I get to gaze adoringly at your handsome face once again. Bet you thought you were gonna have to replace your old CMO, didn't ya?"

"Bones, why didn't you notify me that you could see again? I've been worried sick about you."

"Uh..." My eyes slid over to Spock. "I've been a little preoccupied."

"I'll bet." He looked at Spock then back at me. "Your eyes are bluer."

"I know."

"And they're really bloodshot. You sure you haven't been crying?"

"Yeah I'm positive...Jim...they...uh...it's a..." I flung it all away with a hand.

"The bluer color matches the new grey flecks in your temples," Jim teased.

I marched over to the mirror to check out my reflection, knowing he wanted me to. "Where?" I demanded, playing along, but in reality I wanted to check my lenses. "Well Jim, if that's the case, your name's on every single one of them."

He laughed heartily at my expense then glanced down at his hands. "Oh, Bones, I nearly forgot. Guess who I saw in the lift coming down here?"

"Who?"

"Maintenance! They found your wedding ring!" He yanked my ruby ring off his own pinky and handed it to me. I stared at it in disbelief. My ring. The ring I thought had been lost forever down the shower drain.

I beamed back at him. "Thanks Jim! This is wonderful!" I immediately slid it back onto my own pinky. "I thought I'd never see this again."

A throat cleared. Jim and I turned to regard Spock who'd obviously been standing there the whole time.

"Gentlemen," he said, quietly. "If you will excuse me. I am required on the bridge."

---------

Exhausted, I begged off having yet another drink with Jim in my office. But before heading over to my neck of the woods, I nipped over to Spock's quarters to get my overnight kit and the meager belongings I'd left behind.

I spotted his Vulcan robe that I'd taken to wearing, on its hanger in the wardrobe. I allowed myself to run a finger over the fabric for a few seconds, then stubbornly, I stuffed the rest of my feelings down. It was for the best that we were splitting up. I needed to grow up. However, before I left his cabin, I couldn't resist staring at the Watcher statue, who was staring at me. I was glad to see her again. I walked up to her eternal glowing eyes. "Look after him, will you?" I whispered. Then felt immediately foolish.

I promptly exited. Now, no trace of me existed in his abode. No trace that I'd ever shared over two weeks with him, sleeping and loving. All that was now gone.

My belongings under my arm, I nodded to various night crew strolling past me as I stalked the distance to my own quarters, then entered and felt the cold and unwelcoming draft inside.

I hadn't been here in awhile. The whole area itself, sparsely decorated, seemed especially bare after living for over two weeks amidst those swathes of red cloth and the unblinking, at first intimidating, ultimately comforting gaze of the watcher. My neglected plants had gone far beyond 'help me' yellow to a nice shade of dead brown. They hung there, looking as lifeless as I felt inside.

I threw my overnight kit onto my ledge a little harder than I'd meant to as I flopped, fully clothed, face down onto my bunk. "Computer," I muttered into my pillow. "Raise temperature ten degrees." I was just going to rest here for a moment, then it would be time for a badly needed shower.

Suddenly, the doors to my quarters parted. I raised my head up. "Oh...it's you."

"Expecting someone else?"

I pushed myself to a sitting position. "Never."

"It is agreeably warm in here."

"All for you." I raised off the bunk and sauntered towards him. My eyes were a laser beam trained onto his.

In response, he held his hand up in a traditional Vulcan V sign greeting. I matched the sign without difficulty and placed my hand against his.

He ran the hand down to my wrist, then changed it over to a solitary finger. The finger traveled across my hand and forearm, up my arm, across my shoulder, dragged up to my neck. I leaned into a kiss. "God, I love you. So much..."

"I love you, too."

I pulled back at the voice. "Jo?"

"Hi, Len."

I stared at her, she looked so beautiful standing there in her pale pink nightie. It was made of satin, just how I liked it. "What are you doing here?"

"I want you, Len."

Oh God, yes. I traced a finger along a clavicle, inching the spaghetti strap of her nightie down her shoulder, exposing a breast. Exactly how I remembered her to be. She hadn't changed a bit. I inched the other strap down. The nightie floated down to a pool at her feet, revealing her naked body underneath. I caressed a firm breast as I met her mouth hungrily. I ran my hands up and down her curves, then held onto her tiny waist.

I backed her into my sleeping area and down onto my bed. I lay down on top of her; my mouth covering her soft lips. She smelled so good, like flowers. I moaned. Felt myself getting hard. See, I could get it up for her after all. I closed my eyes and thrust against her.

Suddenly I felt something writhing underneath me. Something odd.

I opened my eyes and looked down into a mass of teeming black beetles.

I screamed.

I snapped awake, shaking. I was still face down on my bunk. Alone.

After lying there for a few moments in a shocked stupor, catching my breath. I sat up and in a rush, leapt up from the bunk, peeled off my sweaty uniform and underwear, dove into the shower and immediately masturbated furiously, taking less than a minute to ejaculate, leaning with the other hand against the shower wall.

Afterwards I soaped up then rinsed off. I brushed my teeth, toweled off, then flopped onto my bunk completely nude. I tried to fall back asleep but couldn't. That bastard Vulcan had brought _Her_ back to the surface. After years of stuffing everything down.

I twisted my pinky ring and remembered what it was like to be the happiest man in the universe. Me hiding in the church office, minutes to go, a nervous wreck on my wedding day. Me watching Jo proudly as she came down the aisle, stunning in a traditional style dress. She'd wore that for me, I'd wanted that. Me grabbing her hand as we stood in front of the minister. Me placing the ring on her finger. Me with my best friend by my side, standing up for me. Who'd of thought that that same best friend would be on top of my wife when I came home early one fateful day...

God dammit...

I'd promised myself I wasn't going to cry again.

I got up, found a glass, opened the bourbon bottle up and poured myself another drink. The tap of my glass on the table, the tink of the bourbon, sounded very loud in my quarters.

God...dammit....why did you have to remind me, Spock?

I knew where the bastard was, up there on that bridge...

It was an ache, how much I wanted him here with me.

I didn't want him to know. But I suppose he already knew it.

I knocked back a glass, the poured myself another, then another...

dammit...

____________________

end of chapter 21, stay tuned for 22...


	22. Chapter 22

The Runes Chapter 22

by T'Prillah

S/Mc (main pairing)

[NC-17]

_________________________________

THE RUNES (Chapter 22)

So there you had it. Our story up till now.

Three weeks later, the bond between us was fading, albeit quite slowly.

In the meantime, Spock and I were doing our level best to avoid "casually touching" each other. Which, in theory, was fine. But in practice it was...quite difficult. It was remarkable how I was feeling the lack of not just sex, but of simply being touched by him. In order to ward off any temptation on mostly my part, without discussing it, we simply avoided each other's presence, as well as we could on this ship.

Of course, Spock and I still saw each other at department head briefings and co-chaired the weekly Science department meetings, but any interaction was all duty related. It had to be. Gone were the intense private discussions about science, music, logic vs. emotion and anything else in-between in his quarters, or my office. Gone were the breakfasts and dinners together or with Jim. Spock resumed his evening chess matches. I stayed far away from the bridge. I was spending my off duty hours drinking a little more than usual with Jim if he wasn't with Spock, alone or with Scotty, if he was. Numbing everything.

Our captain didn't appear to take any notice of what was happening lately and if he did, he said nothing about it. I'm certain that he was glad to have his Spock firmly back in his clutches.

It had seemed like an eternity ago that I had been tumbling between the sheets in Spock's arms. This bond was now useless between us. I wasn't about to divorce my wife; Spock needed all of me or nothing. I couldn't give him what he wanted. So it simply hung there like old laundry on a washing line, or stood around like the proverbial elephant in the living room, slowly evaporating, as long as we refrained from touching.

Jim had once asked me about what it felt like to be bonded. It's difficult to explain in words, really. I'm just... never alone. Sometimes, it's a comfort, other times it drove me utterly crazy. And, as misery loves company, hopefully I made him just as fucking nuts. In fact, I know I do.

There were these edges of it I could run my mental fingers around. In boredom, on late night shifts, I sometimes toyed with it. For instance, I might find myself sitting here alone in the sickbay and accidentally--on purpose-- contact him, knowing I'm probably teasing him, but not caring if I'm annoying the bastard. I can envision him sitting there on the bridge in the command seat, on late night watch--the watch the exec usually gets stuck with while the captain sleeps. I might find myself calling out: //_t'hy'la...t'hy'la...you bastard..._// till he eventually snaps //_desist_// in unveiled irritation. I had to admit that I felt endless glee that his careful control had faltered, thanks to me.

Then, on one of those occasions it had been different. I did my usual thing of contacting him on the bridge as I was taking a little break from filling out that report on Mr. Leslie's follow up exam. I reached out to him. // Spock..._What are you doing up there? You damned hobgoblin_.//

The response nearly threw me out of my chair. It wasn't a 'desist' or the typical stony silence he usually threw back at me. It was: //_I am currently engaged in an unaccustomed emotion_.//

//_Profound irritation at my existence?_// I was a little smug.

//_No. It is not._//

I turned inward and let his emotion wash over me. And was awestruck. The pointy eared bastard missed me.

I missed him too, desperately. But we couldn't touch. It was killing me.

Granted, we _could_ shut each other out to save our sanity and perhaps we should, but doing so expended an immense amount of energy. Energy was something I just didn't have as of late, and Spock never seemed to bother clamping down on his end. So, we didn't have any real privacy.

I say the bond was useless, well it actually came in handy quite often. I could and did use the bond to monitor what he was up to. It was faster than the cabin sensors. True, it was a little unorthodox, but hey, it's not like he's actually willing admit if he's eating properly or sleeping. This way, I was able to be kept informed as to if he's taking care of himself, how much sleep he was ACTUALLY getting.

And there was something else too. Much like a woman left holding the baby, I was gradually becoming a touch telepath. As bizarre as it felt to me and as Spock had warned, this ability of mine I was apparently born with was getting stronger.

There were pro's and cons to this ability. The pro was, I was becoming a better physician than I ever was before; my touch working similarly to or even better than a type II scanner. I could now often diagnose a patient's aliments simply by laying a hand on them. I could tell immediately when a treatment was causing another discomfort, or sense and sooth their fears. There was not a sensor built yet that could sense emotions this quickly.

The con was, being touched by others unexpectedly. A simple tap on the shoulder by Christine Chapel or a hug by Nyota Uhura could be enough to send me reeling. The ship's dentist: Dr. Gulley, apparently-- unbelievably-- found me attractive and often found an excuse to touch my arm or hand. I found it extremely difficult sometimes to deal with his unguarded, intense feelings.

I'd started to avoid handshakes or standing close to crewmembers in case they accidentally brushed past me. As a result, I'd resorted to taking some lessons from Geoff M'Benga on some Vulcan style control known as the 'mind rules'. It hasn't been easy lately. Now I have some basic understanding of the challenges Spock must be fighting against each day.

At any rate, I still wasn't sleeping properly. I was fatigued beyond belief but still, I spent a lot of my required rest period tossing and turning.

So now, lately, to avoid drugged sleep with it's accompanying onslaught of nightmares, I usually buried myself in writing a 'paper' in my office overnight, to be published in the Surgeon General's Medical Journal in three months.

Failing that, if I was seeing double or I was fed up, I went to take everything out in the ship's gym, as I was doing, tonight. The area was always deserted during third shift so I gratefully had to see or talk to no one.

I was exhausted as I neared my fifth lap. I ran faster and faster around the track then collapsed.

I rested a bit, sprawled out on my back, clad only in shorts. I finally opened my eyes to Spock standing over me. "Hi," I muttered as cheerfully as I could.

"You are exhausted," he proclaimed.

"No kidding. I've been running on this here track you see--"

"You have not slept properly in 13.2 days," he observed.

I could have said something nasty in response. I wanted to. Getting all the frustrations out in words. But I simply replied meekly: "It's cold in my quarters."

"You have the ability to increase the heat. Allow me to assist you." He reached for me.

"Don't touch me," I whispered. "If you touch me, I won't be able to stop at that. I'll want to go all the way."

I could feel that he was moved by that, though he expressed it physically with barely an upturned corner of the lip. He knelt down next to me as I managed to prop up on my elbows.

"You're just as horny as I am," I realized in amazement.

"Negative. Vulcans do not 'get horny' as you put it."

"Bullshit they don't. What about _pon farr_?"

"I been out of it since we traveled to Vulcan, Dr. McCoy. You are aware of that," he smartly shot back.

"What about the Runes? You were definately horny then."

"I was under their control."

"Sure you were. Even now, I can feel that you want me," I said, saucily.

"It is of no consequence."

"Oh. Really," I said as I studied him. "What would happen...if we...you know... did it. Just this once?"

"If we copulated?"

"No. If we knitted a blanket."

He raised an eyebrow and it also nearly appeared that he'd rolled his eyes. "You know what would happen. The bond would strengthen again."

I groaned and lay back down on my back. "I hate this waiting for it to slowly fade away. I wish it would be a clean break, or even better, we should just stay married. Make things permanent between us."

"You prefer to stay bonded?"

I rolled over to my side. "I don't know. Maybe I do."

He stood up, stiffly. "You are not thinking clearly. I shall return to the bridge."

"Spock," I found myself begging. "Please stay."

"It is late. You have 3.2 hours of your rest period left. At your current rate of sleep depravation, the odds of your normal functioning for your next shift are--"

I stood up too. "Maybe, I'm not thinking clearly. I am bleary eyed, granted. Or maybe it's only becoming too clear to me. I've been doing a lot of thinking these past few weeks. Maybe...I...we... could do this."

"There are numerous--"

Yeah," I interrupted again. "I know. I do realize that if we were to stay married, I'd need to clean up my past."

"That is not what you truly wish."

"Spock. It's time for me to move on with my life. It's been fifteen years."

He stared at me, unbelieving. "I see."

I coughed in response. "You think about it. Anyway, I'm heading to my quarters."

"I shall..." He took a deep breath. "...escort you."

We headed out of the gym and into the lift.

-------

Drop.  
Drop.  
Drop.

I stood in bio-lab twelve with a slide of Celun Mold in my hand then slid it under the high powered microscope. M'Benga and Chapel stood at my shoulder, watching my movements. "Fascinating..."

"Dr. McCoy?" M'Benga asked me, "something unusual regarding the mold sample?"

"Absolutely not," I replied. "Bishop d1 to b3. Level four."

"Doctor?"

"Yes?" I kept squinting though the microscope.

"Is everything okay?"

"Fine. Why?" I glanced up my head nurse for a second, then my attention immediately went back to the mold.

"You said Bishop d1 to b3, Level four. Doctor," M'Benga said.

"I sure did say that."

Drop.  
Drop.  
Drop.

"Pawn d2 to d3. Level two," I muttered.

"Doctor?!" Christine asked.

"Yesss?"

"That's a chess move."

"Really. I did not know that. Thanks, Miss Chapel."

Suddenly, M'Benga snickered.

I looked over at him and winked. "Oh, good. Now his knight is under attack. Excellent," I muttered. "Christine, hand me that slide over there."

"I think... I'm going to have to haul out a butterfly net instead," Christine replied, as she picked up the slide.

I turned to her and smiled. "Now, is that any way to talk to your CMO, darlin'?"

M'Benga kept up his chuckling.

Drop.  
Drop.  
Drop.

"Ha!" I gloated. "Queen b0 takes black queen e3! Level two! See what he does with that."

"Who is Dr. McCoy talking to?" Christine asked.

"His _adun_," M'Benga answered.

"His what?"

"Jesus, Spock," I muttered. "Now he's got a second queen's level on you. What the hell's the matter with you? You can't use that strategy. He can second guess your logic. You have to trust me."

"He's lost it," Christine pronounced to M'Benga. "He's gone absolutely crazy. I knew it would happen before long." M'Benga burst out laughing hysterically.

"Check! Good move, Spock," I muttered again. "Lets see how the bastard gets out of that one!"

"How about some coffee, Dr. McCoy?" Christine asked.

"Don't distract him," M'Benga ordered her, wiping his eyes. "You want Spock to win don't you?"

Christine shook her head at the both of us and walked away.

"Checkmate!" I grinned.

-------

Stardate: 2534.0. Jim and Spock had beamed down to the surface of planet Ekos in the M34 Alpha System. I was as usual, quite concerned about them going down alone, without me. Ekos was supposed to be primitive, without the ability of thermo-nuclear weapons, however they were using those very types of missiles in an attempt to attack us up here. Something was very wrong.

I'd injected Jim and Spock with sub-dermal transponders set to beam them back in three hours if they didn't check in. They were to attempt to locate missing Historian John Gill, one of Jim's former professors at the Academy.

To divert my attention from what might be happening down on the planet's surface--my endless checking of the scanner and biting the inside of my cheek, according to M'Benga--Dr. Sanchez kept me entertained with a plethora of lousy jokes and bad impressions. I was drinking coffee that had just come out of the wall synth, not the greatest stuff in the world, (actually it tasted like swill, but it had real caffeine in it which would suffice) when I suddenly grimaced.

"Dr. McCoy?" Sanchez stopped mid-routine. "Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, fine," I replied.

"Old age," Sanchez teased.

I chuckled. "Probably."

M'Benga and Sanchez were talking about something else now, but I wasn't listening to them, because for the life of me, I could swear something was biting my back. I scratched at it and made a comment that perhaps it was time to have the ship fumigated.

"Fleas? In deep space?" Sanchez wondered.

"Yeah in--! Ow!"

"Doctor?" M'Benga asked, looking very worried. "What is it?"

"It's just my--_dammit_!" I reached around with searching fingers. M'Benga and Sanchez looked to where I was grabbing at. Nothing there. Sanchez grabbed his scanner. Nothing on the scanner. "_Mother of God! What the hell is that?!" _I was still swatting at my back. The pain was getting stronger and stronger. I twisted and turned as I stood white knuckled against the desk as I felt each sharp cutting pain again and again. "Jesus!" Sweat was pouring down my face in rivers.

Then just as suddenly as the pains had started, they stopped.

I re-checked the scanner and couldn't locate the transponder signal. I flipped on the desk intercomn. "McCoy to Bridge."

"Bridge. Uhura here."

"Uhura, do we still have a transporter lock on the landing party? The transponder signals have disappeared off my scanner."

"It appears they have removed the transponders, Doctor."

"Dammit. Bridge, have you contacted them via communicator yet?"

"Sorry, Doctor, we're still under orders to maintain radio silence."

An hour later I was summoned to the transporter room to beam down to the planet's surface. Some sort of grey costume was waiting for me to don, with a lightening bolt on the collar. It was replete with black knee high boots, and imposing grey cap. I didn't like the look of things as I dove into the uniform.

Of course there was a spanner in the works. I couldn't get the fucking boots on.

"Hurry up, man!" Scotty's voice rang out from the intercomn.

"Just a God-damned minute, Scotty!" I yelled back.

I heard Jim's voice: "..._well send him down naked if you have to! But get him down here!"  
_  
I lunged onto the transporter pad, one boot on and one off, just a sock on the other foot. Scotty energized while I was in the middle of desperately trying to pull the boot on.

I materialized next to Jim and Spock and a blonde.

"This is Dr. McCoy, our chief medical officer," Jim said.

"How do you do," I grumbled to the blonde.

"What is the matter, Doctor?" Spock asked innocently. He knew damned well what was the matter.

"The...damned computer made an error in the measurements!" I snapped, mostly for Jim's benefit. "Dammed boots are too tight!"

"There is an easy remedy. Point your toe, put equal pressure and pull." Equal pressure my ass. However, Spock's very astute suggestion actually worked.

Smacking my hands on my legs, I stood up and surveyed where we were.

Jim was wearing a sinister black uniform. Spock was also, along with a helmet. The blond was wearing a grey uniform similar to mine. We were standing in some sort of cloakroom. "What in blazes is this?!"

Suddenly, the door opened.

"The colonel's drunk...he's had a little too much to drink," Jim explained to the suspicious party standing in the doorway. "He thought he would embarrass the Fuhrer." I immediately caught on and wavered, doing my best impression of a drunken Jim Kirk.

"Yes," Spock added. "A doctor should have more pride." He grabbed onto my arm.

//_You're injured, aren't you, Spock. I felt it. What was it_?//

//_Later. In two seconds you must remember to' hail the Fuhrer'_.//

//_The WHAT_!!?//

Much later, I was unable to do anything to save Historian John Gill's life.

And the patch job M'Benga and I had to perform on Spock's and Jim's backs, respectively, had me cursing up a blue streak.

--------

The Enterprise was assigned to another mission, this time along the Romulan Neutral Zone. There was a planet: C-1762, a small Class-M, dangerously close to the border. The leaders had expressed a wish for a private conference with our captain about the process of entering the Federation.

In typical brazen Jim Kirk fashion, he'd decided that in order to keep the Enterprise safely out of range, he would pilot a shuttlecraft along the edge of the neutral zone to said planet with his first officer accompanying him.

I'd protested, first that the mission was foolhardy, suicide, might be trap. All the usual arguments I'd given him thoughout the years. Secondly: I also wanted to accompany the captain. It was probably guaranteed that either of them would need my services.

"No," I was told. Dr. Sanchez would accompany them. He was next on the medical landing party roster and I still wasn't cleared for full landing party duty, due to the state of my eyes. I would have been able to override Sanchez's appointment, otherwise. So, at least I was able to convince Jim to take along three security guards.

I was still cursing up and down this morning as I found myself staring at Spock as we waited in the anteroom off the hangar for Jim and Dr. Sanchez and the security detail. I'd wanted to say something meaningful, I suppose. I couldn't bring myself to, either in words or mentally, nor, apparently, could he. We just stood there.

Jim suddenly appeared next to us. "Was I interrupting anything?"

"No sir," I responded tightly.

"Bones, I can see that you two were in the middle of saying goodbye--"

I cleared my throat. "Just hurry back from the mission. Safely. Okay, Jim?"

"We will, Bones."

I turned to walk away. And at the very moment I'd turned, Spock brushed his wrist against mine. //_Adun._//

I nodded at him.

--------

"Hmmm," Dr. Gulley, the young, fresh faced ship's dentist grunted.

"Hmph?" I answered back, about well as I could with his damned hands in my mouth. I could sense his nervousness at being this close to me. I attempted to relax and use the mind rules to get through the exam.

"Dr. McCoy." He showed me the scanner. "You have a serious carie in your number fourteen molar, reaching towards the..."

I quit listening to him as I squinted at the scanner. "How in the world did I develop that?" I whistled. "That's really nasty."

"Would you like it treated immediately?" the kid asked.

"No," I snapped. "I thought I'd wait a year, till it starts to hurt. Then, I can complain about it and blame you."

He chuckled at my grumpiness, probably not the first person in my department who'd done that today. The kid worked on my teeth right then and there; plasering the root then resealing the crack in my teeth sealant. I'd nearly fallen asleep after mentally reciting the mind rules, when he touched my shoulder.

I jumped nearly out of my skin. "Hmmm?"

"I'm finished."

I sat up. "Thank you." I got up to leave.

"Uh, Dr. McCoy?"

"Yes, Dr. Gulley?"

"I was wondering...uh...if you wouldn't mind. Perhaps, we could meet for a drink sometime. To...uh...get to know each other."

I narrowed my eyes. "I don't think it's a good idea."

"Oh. I meant, uh--"

"Look," I said softly. "I don't mean to embarrass you. But, I know how you feel about me."

"How did you--?"

"Just trust me, I know. It's okay. And believe me...I'm flattered. I really am. But...uh..." I gulped. "I'm a married man."

"Happily?"

I had to smile at that question. "About as happy as one can be with a Vulcan."

"Oh. Sorry. I never thought..." He blushed a deep shade of crimson.

"It's alright. Nobody really knows."

"Vulcan? You mean, Commander Spock?"

This time it was my turn to blush. "Yes, that's right. Commander Spock."

"I heard that the shuttle party hasn't checked in, in awhile," Dr. Gulley replied.

He was right. Jim and Spock and Dr. Sanchez hadn't checked in lately. I could feel nothing amiss, yet they were hours overdue.

"I'll see you later, Dr. Gulley," I said, right before my brain exploded.

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end of chapter 22 Stay tuned for chapter 23!


	23. Chapter 23

Title: THE RUNES--Chapter 23  
Author: T'Prillah  
Rating: M [NC-17]  
Codes: TOS, S/Mc (main pairing)  
WARNING: (Graphic medical references; blood. Character death--NOT Spock or McCoy)  
Author's Note: There is a reference to "Spiderweb" a weapon originally conceived by Vonda M. McIntyre for the pro-novel: "The Entropy Effect".  
Disclaimer: Star Trek is owned by Paramount.

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The Runes--Chapter 23

The dagger had been a centimeter away from hitting his heart.

Spock had eight stab wounds located in the back, abdomen and thighs, each at an approximate depth of twelve centimeters. His injuries were indicative of blunt force trauma: with a shattered pelvis and femur; fractures at the junctions of the proximal phalanges with the metacarpals on both hands; multiple fractures running from the #5 though #10 ribs, fractures located in both the carpals, a dislocated shoulder, a hairline fracture in the jaw and the right foot and multiple lacerations and contusions all over his body.

However, even with all of his injuries, he had been lucky.

Dr. Jose Sanchez was dead. Lieutenant Thomas O'Neill, lead security officer and Security Ensigns Paul Gregory and Leo Davis, were also deceased.

Captain Kirk was physically okay, save for a few minor cuts and bruises. When they had arrived in the level 7 transporter room, Dr. M'Benga started on Spock and got to work immediately stabilizing his vitals. As I quickly checked Jim over, I could sense, just by laying a hand on his wrist, he was in severe emotional shock--however he continued to insist that I forget about him for the time being and focus on saving Spock's life. I was able to leave Jim's treatment in the capable hands of Nurse Lia Burke, as M'Benga and I tended to Spock.

Spock who now lay before me in the surgical unit of the sickbay, beaten and stabbed to within an inch of his life. He'd lost a signifigant amount of blood; the damage to his body was tremendous. It was amazing that he'd managed to hang on for this long.

Three hours into Spock's surgery, I nodded to Christine Chapel and she wiped the sweat from my forehead with a cloth. "How are we doing on plasma?" I asked her.

"We are midway though."

"Order the lab to synth up some more. We're going to need it."

"Immediately, Doctor." She left the operating theatre.

M'Benga finished with sealing up the last of the stab wounds in the thighs. He ran his sensor over the shattered pelvic region then looked up at me. "Dr. McCoy."

"Yes?"

"Take a look at this." He handed me the type II for me to examine. I looked at the readings and grimaced.

I was still attempting to stem the massive internal bleeding; completely aspirating the mass of blood that had flooded the cavity. As I worked on sealing the multitude of damaged tissue and arteries in the chest and abdomen with microsurgery, M'Benga continued with concentrating on the pelvis and the numerous fractures in other areas.

I checked the monitor. I still wasn't satisfied with what I saw. As I leaned over to get a closer look into the chest cavity, green blood from a reopened artery had suddenly spurted. It had nearly caused my carefully constructed emotional control to falter.

I'd froze, staring at the splatters of green blood on my wrist. The copper metalic odor reached my nose, and the realization had hit me that this was my own husband I was operating on, my own husband who was hemorraging before my very eyes.

I shut my eyes for a second--not that we had any to spare-- as I struggled to get my act together. We were in Starfleet, with a mission to accomplish. I was a surgeon. I would do this, no matter who it was. Nurse Chapel wiped the blood from my face and hand and I forged on.

Finally, I decided we were going to temporarily stop his heart. I nodded to M'Benga and he keyed in the code to the cardio-stimulator.

Throughout the surgery, I had been aware that I couldn't feel Spock in my head. He was obviously alive. He was fighting to live, it seemed. Possibly, the mental quiet was simply due to him being on life-support, I reasoned. Perhaps it was better if I couldn't feel him at the moment, but the silence was deafening. I worked on autopilot and tried not to think about what it might mean.

I repaired the collapsed lung, then re-inflated it so that eventually he could be taken off the artificial respirator.

The surgery finally complete, we restarted his heart and took him off life-support. To my relief, he started breathing on his own almost immediately.

While Spock was being transferred into the recovery ward, I pulled off my bloody sickbay jumpsuit and showered off the events of the night in the sickbay shower.

I dove into a pair of fresh trousers and a smock and walked out into the main sickbay ward over to where Jim lay sprawled in a chair. I laid a hand on his arm, felt the flood of his emotional agony and snatched my hand back. He'd snapped awake at my touch. "Bones," he said weakly. "How is he?"

"He survived the surgery. He's still in heavy sedation. He's much too weak for a healing trance, but that will come later."

"I'm sorry, Bones."

I sat down heavily in a chair next to the captain. There was a long interval of me gritting my teeth before I was able to say anything. "Jim, what the hell happened down there?"

"The planet was already overrun by a Romulan colony," he said, numbly. "We were too late. They appeared to be expecting us. As soon as we'd landed the shuttlecraft... we were ambushed."

"Physical torture," I said with disgust. "It seems so unlike the Romulans. So unseemly. Why would they stoop to such an action?"

"They were...after an artifact that they claimed we possessed."

"What?"

"_FthinraKathir'thie'Lan_. That's what...that's how they referred to the artifact."

I started in surprise. Even with Jim's mangled pronunciation I recognized the word. "Jim...the Romulans wanted the...Runes?!"

"Yes," he said softly. "That's right."

"Jim. We don't have them anymore...Spock sent them back to Vulcan! How in the world did they know we'd even had them in the first place?" I protested.

"They'd traced your bill of sale to the Enterprise."

"They what?" It was unbelievable. The guilt hit me hard. I'd bought those Runes on a silly whim and now the landing party had paid dearly with their lives. "I should have went on that mission with you, Jim. I'd of let them beat the shit out of me instead--"

"Bones. You'd be dead."

"Exactly. It should have been me."

"Bones..."

"Jim...they're just some stupid Vulcan Love Runes!"

"I couldn't get any answers from them, Bones. They wouldn't tell us why they wanted them. I'm afraid we'll have to ask Spock. He knows." Jim slunk back in his chair, and stared into the middle distance. "My God... Spock, Dr. Sanchez and I tried to fight them off after they'd murdered the security detail in cold blood. Dr. Sanchez got shot in the back of the head with a Spiderweb bullet."

"I know, Jim," I said, quietly. Dr. Sanchez's body was laying in my morgue with the tell-tale steel grey eyes, frozen open. The only body that we'd been able to beam up with Jim and Spock. Spiderweb was illegal in all parts of the federation, and with good reason. It killed slowly and agonizingly by squeezing the life out of internal organs...till the body expired. Sanchez' body immediately had to go under a quarantine beam to avoid coming into contact with anyone else. Even if a body was deceased, Spiderweb could still grow and attach to another...live victim. As soon as I'd seen the eyes, I'd realized what had happened and shuddered. "Obviously someone in their group collects illegal artifacts. There's only twenty such known Spiderweb pistols."

"You know about them?"

"Yeah. Never mind why." I rubbed my eyes.

"Where are the Runes now, Bones?" Jim asked.

"Jim. I told you. They're on Vulcan by now."

"Are you certain of that?" He looked at me oddly.

"Yes. I'm positive Jim."

"Bones," he continued. "I could only watch as they tortured him and demanded their location. They finally left him for dead. I thought he was ...dead." A sob escaped Jim's lips.

"All for some stupid Runes?!" I yelled out, unable to control myself by now. "God...Dammit..." I looked over at Jim and saw that he was shaking. "Jim."

"I have to get up to the bridge...Scotty..."

"Jim, the ship is safe. As soon as he'd discovered the landing party was in trouble, the Enterprise went into range and he beamed you out of there. We're at maximum warp. Far away from them at the moment. We're fine. You're in no shape to take command now."

"I have to get up there. They'll be in pursuit."

"Jim, no they won't. They won't dare follow us into Federation space!"

"Bones..." He looked about to pass out. Still he was determined.

"Jim. I said 'No.' That's a medical order." I grabbed a mild sedative hypo, and grabbed hold of his arm. "Come on. You're staying here tonight." Amazingly he didn't argue with me again. He nodded and followed me meekly over to a sickbay bed. I shot him with the sedative and he lay back, immediately asleep. I pulled his boots and tunic off, he never wore an undershirt, then pulled a blanket up to his torso.

I hurried over to the ICU, to where Dr. M'Benga was quietly standing vigil over Spock and checking the monitor. "Any change?"

"He is improving, actually."

"Excellent." I managed a tired smile. We continued our staring at the unconscious figure in the bio-bed.

"How are _you_ doing, Dr. McCoy?" M'Benga asked.

"Well, being as I've spent the better part of the night in surgery... I'm doing fine... I suppose," I replied, a little too chipper for the occasion.

"I meant, the 'explosion' in your head. Dr. Gulley carried you into the sickbay. You were unconscious for over an hour. Do you remember?"

It was hazy, but I remembered. "I had just finished getting my teeth worked on. I passed out, then I woke up in a biobed. Next thing I knew, Scotty was beaming the landing party aboard."

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine," I said, hesitantly.

"Dr. McCoy." He squinted at me.

My gaze shifted from him, over to Spock, and back over to him. "Geoff..." I began.

"Tell me," he whispered.

"_I can't feel him_." My voice nearly cracked on that last word. I gained my composure and continued. "Since I'd passed out, it's like a light went out. I've been reaching inward for him... and he's not... _there_." I looked over at the figure of Spock again.

"He has only a slight concussion. Brain telemetry appears normal."

"Yes. But we don't know what the Romulans are capable of. They inflicted a considerable amount of physical damage. Who knows what sort of mental injuries there might be on him that we can't detect. Something...something is wrong."

"When Mr. Spock awakens we will know for certain," M'Benga replied. "Until then we can only speculate. It is unlikely anything happened to the bond itself. He most likely damped down on his end of it, to save you from physical distress."

"I'd still be able to feel something, though, wouldn't I?"

"You are exhausted."

"I'm always exhausted. Usually, even if he damps down, it's still faint."

"Try not to worry, Doctor." I still must of looked worried, because then M'Benga whispered: "Leonard."

"Yes?"

"Please, come with me." He motioned me into an empty cubicle. As the doors shut us in he asked: "Do you mind if I check?"

"How?"

"I can use the Vulcan mind touch."

"You can? I thought only Vulcans could do that," I replied.

"Many touch telepaths are able to do so, not just Vulcans. My ability is not as strong as a Vulcan and it takes years of practice."

"So you mean, I could eventually learn how to do it?"

"Perhaps. Leonard, May I touch you?"

I finally nodded. "Go ahead."

He briefly grabbed onto my wrist. He released it, furrowed his brow, then gently placed his fingers on the meld points on my face. "My mind to your's..." he murmured. I felt the brush of his thoughts. A second later, he pulled his hand away.

"Anything?"

He hesitated, then asked: "May I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure, Geoff. Anything."

"Were you intimate with him shortly before he departed?"

I nodded.

At that, M'Benga looked thoughtful and scratched his jaw.

"What is it?" I asked.

He grimaced then said: "I should have been able to sense the bond, at the very least very dimly."

"And yet, you sensed...nothing."

"I wouldn't worry about it at this point."

He was probably right. I nodded a thanks, and exited the cubicle.

I walked over to Spock's bed over in the private area of the ICU. I pulled up a chair, and took up residence in it. I wanted to be here when he woke up.

The temp was higher up than normal in this private cubicle for his comfort. Just in case, I pulled another thermal blanket over him.

Spock seemed so peaceful, lying here under the blankets. He had two black eyes, but his nose had survived unscathed. There was green mottling on his still slightly puffy cheek, but his jaw was knitting nicely. Barely visible from under the blanket, a knitting plaser was tightly binding his ribcage and abdomen.

I knew that it wouldn't be comfortable for him when he woke up, but there was nothing I could do about that. I wanted to touch his fingers, hold his hand, but I couldn't, not with the bandages clear up to the elbows.

I knew that under the blanket things appeared bad, but all would heal. Unfortunately, due to the shattered pelvis, he was also wearing a catheter and from previous experience I knew he was going to protest. Couldn't be helped, either.

I fought to contain my fury. "How dare they do this to you," I whispered.

Eventually, I settled for combing my fingers though his hair. I ran a finger along his eyelids and eyebrows, then leaned over and gently kissed his lips.

He was there. Only as long as I was in physical contact, I could feel his presence. Very dimly. If that was the case, then I was going to hold on to him as long as I could.

I caressed an ear tip, then whispered into his ear: "_Adun_, I love you. You're going to be just fine, you hear?

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Stay tuned for Chapter 24!! Thanks for reading!


	24. Chapter 24

THE RUNES--CHAPTER 24

Author: T'Prillah

Codes: TOS, S/Mc, [NC-17]

See chapter 1 for disclaimer, notes, etc. (*note. the word: _Adun_, is Vulcan for 'husband' singular or also as plural 'husbands')

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THE RUNES--Chapter 24

"It is about time you have awakened."

I craned my neck around to glare at him. It was lovely outside. Warm. The sun was shining. The sky blue. The beach deserted. The sound of crashing waves lulling me into relaxation. I'd never been this content. "It's my honeymoon," I said. "I haven't had this much time off in years. If I want to doze by the water all day, I will."

"Not when you have an _adun_ who is lacking attention."

"You lonely?" I sat up and gave him my best sultry look.

"I belive I have said as much." He pushed me down onto my back and busied himself with sucking on my toes.

I let him for awhile. It felt good. So good. "Hey," I murmured, intently watching the erotic sight of my husband's heated mouth wrapped around my big toe. I was getting tingly as I felt the blood rushing to my groin. "I had the strangest dream..."

He was barely listening. "Did you?"

"Mmm hum." I watched him continue his sucking. I patiently waited till the dark eyes looked up at me. "Don't you want to hear what it was about?"

"Later." He proceded to bite a path up my inner calf, then up my thigh. I closed my eyes, relishing the stinging sensation for a few minutes till I pushed his head back down.

"More feet," I demanded.

He oblidged me then inched himself upwards again licking and sucking up my thigh, to my belly, to my waiting erection. The sight of his mouth around me was my undoing. "So good." I sat back on my elbows and let my head loll back. "Right there." He rubbed his tongue on the back of the head of my cock and I felt my balls tighten, I was close. So close "_Ohhh_--"

I jerked awake. Sickbay. I'd fallen asleep at an unnatural angle and now my neck was killing me. I cracked my back as I sat up, yawned then glanced up at the telemetry monitor above Spock. He was coming round.

Thank God. Finally.

I waited impatiently, staring at him, till his eyes flicked open. "You're safe," I said gently and found myself beaming. "You're here in sickbay with me. Jim's safe, too." There was a grunt from him as his eyes darted around the cubicle. "The ship is fine," I added. "You can go into healing trance. Alright?"

He dipped his eyes in acquiescence. I leaned over to kiss him and felt his lips kiss me back.

"Want me to count it off?" I asked sweetly. "Ten...nine...eight...seven...six...five...four..."

I smiled. He was out before I'd made it to three.

--------

Our captain had requested assistance from Starfleet command as to our next move regarding the Romulans and their new colony on the planet. With Mr. Chekov temporarily acting as exec (our young navigator who was proving to be a brilliant tactician) Jim had brought the ship cautiously back into the same sector.

We could find no Romulan ships patrolling on our side of the neutral zone. Moving on it's orbit, the planet the landing party had been ambushed on, was now inching back into Romulan space. The call to our ship from the planet's 'government' had simply been a trap. The Romulans had been able to attack and could now claim the planet was theirs all along, we were in the wrong by beaming down there and that they were well within their rights to defend it.

According to Mr. Chekov's intermittant long range scans, three Romulan Warbirds were stationed just inside the zone waiting to see if we would actually cross over. So far we hadn't. So far they remained on the other side. Watching us. It was an uneasy standoff.

That afternoon, we had a memorial service for the three security guards and Dr. Sanchez. They have never been an easy thing for me to attend, not in my entire career. Serving aboard a starship we had memorial services nearly once a month. They still never got any easier.

Later that evening, I sat in my office, writing up a report. Suddenly the doors swooshed open. "How's Spock?" Jim asked as he stood zombie-like over my desk.

"Same as before, Jim, when you called me an hour ago. He's still in healing trance."

"I need you to call up the contact details for the next of kin of the four deceased crewmen," he ordered.

"Now? Can't it wait? Why don't you get some sleep? You look like hell."

"I'm not sleeping, Bones. Not with those Warbirds out there."

"They're not going anywhere, Jim."

"How do you know?" he snapped.

"Because," I shot back, hearing my voice crack with emotion. "They're a bunch of fucking cowards. Cowards who set a trap, then murder and torture a landing party for some stupid Vulcan love runes, then run and hide behind their fucking Neutral Zone, that's how I know!"

"Bones--"

"Fuck regulations. We should cross over, blast the shit out of them. See how they like it."

"Len." Jim took me by the shoulders and shook me, gently.

I looked up at him and felt the compassion and understanding pour out from him. It calmed me down. I nodded and gave a small, tired smile. "Sorry, Jim. What was it you needed?"

"Contact information." He let go of me and began pacing the length of my office.

"Right," I said as I watched him pace. "Well...the security detail...Two were from Earth: Lieutenant O'Neill and Ensign Gregory. Ensign Davis hailed from Alpha Centauri."

"Unfortunately we're not even close to that quadrant. I'll have to notify Starfleet to send a representative to their families," he said faintly. "Have you got the autopsy results for Dr. Sanchez yet?"

"I performed it myself. We're not going to--we're not going to be specific to his next of kin on _modus homicidii_, are we?"

Jim shook his head. I logged into my computer and called up the data on my former third shift assistant. "Jose Sanchez--he left a wife--they were married for three years. And a young son, behind."

There was a soft punch on the bulkhead, along with a muttered curse. "Are they on Earth?"

I scrolled down the page to find out. "His wife, Dr. Elisa Bell, she's also a physician. All I have in the file is an office address and comn link info. She's got a medical practice on Delta Vega."

Jim rubbed the stubble on his face. "That's not too far away. About a day's trip at warp. As soon as we deal with the Romulan situation, we could orbit; beam down there. I feel--I should deliver the news to her myself."

I looked at him curiously, but I didn't ask why.

"Contact her office," he said.

"Jim," I protested mildly. "Won't the Romulans be able to intercept the call? I mean, even on scramble, you never know--"

"Do it."

I did so reluctantly. Jim stood behind me waiting patiently while I placed the call though on subspace. A military to civilian channel always took much longer. Many minutes later, it was acknowledged, by a faint voice. "_Dr. Bell's office_."

I glanced back at Jim and he nodded at me. "Hello," I ventured. "This is Dr. Leonard McCoy of the USS Enterprise..."

There was a pause, before I heard: "_Leonard_?" I gave a start. The voice on the other end seemed eerily familiar.

"Yes," I replied. There was a fair amount of static coming though on the transmission, so I decided to repeat: "I'm Dr. Leonard McCoy, from the USS--"

"_Leonard, is that you_?"

"Yes. This is Leonard McCoy. Who is this?"

"_This is Jocelyn...Jocelyn McCoy_."

I hesitated for a few seconds as I felt the blood drain out of my face.

"_Leonard_?" she repeated. "_Is that_--"

"Jo?" I gasped.

"_Yes. Yes it's me_."

"What are you doing on Vega?" Was all I managed to ask a woman that I hadn't seen or spoken to in fifteen years. Fifteen years--

"_I'm Dr. Bell's assistant. Her husband is currently stationed on your ship, isn't he_?"

I cleared my throat. "Uh...that's right. I...uh...need to get her dwelling address. My C.O. and I need to see her on a matter--"

"_Is Dr. Sanchez...okay_?"

"Uh...I'd better not answer that. Jo, we need to speak to her in person, at home."

"_Oh, gosh. I'm so sorry, Leonard_."

"Us too."

Jo...Jocelyn McCoy...my wife, quickly passed along the details we needed. I politely thanked her, closed the channel, then stared at the comn-link in a daze. Fifteen years...

Jim stood there, folding his arms. "Jocelyn McCoy," he observed glumly. "Your ex-wife."

I was so frozen with shock that I never answered back when I'd vaguely heard him ask me if I needed a drink; never noticed when he finally gave up asking and stepped out.

---------

"Well, well, well," I said happily. "Look who finally decided to wake up." Dr. M'Benga had been the one to perform the traditional slapping of the slumbering Vulcan awake. I just couldn't bring myself to do it, not this time.

"Good morning, Dr. McCoy," Spock said formally.

"I removed your catheter while you were asleep. I thought you'd appreciate that."

"Thank you," he said evenly.

"And, now that you're awake, I want to examine your pelvis," I said, then smirked. "That almost sounds kinky."

Obviously he wasn't in the mood for my chipper banter, however forced my happy mood was.

"Are you in any discomfort?" I'd decided to ask him, rather than touch him to find out.

"Minor."

"Good." I lifted up the thermal blanket, did a visual exam then ran the sensor over the area. It had been the most severely damaged part of Spock's body. "It's healing nicely. I'm going to have Dr. M'Benga take a look at you." He said nothing in response, I glanced at him and continued. " I know you're just thrilled to have another doctor besides me put their paws on you, but he's the one who put the thing back together."

"By all means, Dr. McCoy."

I pushed the signal for M'Benga to enter. He did his own exam of the pelvis, femur, and foot. All looked great and he appeared to be very pleased with himself.

"What about my hands?" Spock held up the bandaged appendages.

Dr. M'Benga hesitated for long minutes. I stood there watching with arms folded. "Those shall take a few days longer to completely heal. You will require physical therapy before you are at complete manual dexterity," he explained.

"When shall I be able to return to duty?"

"Within a week."

"I see." I knew he was itching to return to that bridge. Not with those hands.

My colleague and I exchanged a glance. "Mr. Spock," M'Benga said gently. "If you have any future questions, I shall be in my office."

"Thank you, Dr. M'Benga." He nodded at me and left. I turned back to Spock. "Spock, you need to try to urinate. I'll help you over to the bathroom." I motioned for him to grab onto me.

He shook his head. "I do not require assistance. However, I would like an update from the bridge. The captain--"

"Is being assisted by your prodigy. You might be out of a job soon," I teased.

"Indeed." He raised an eyebrow and sat up.

"Spock, you can't get up on your own. Let me help you."

"Negative. I shall do it without assistance." He was almost stubborn about it.

"Fine," I said, and waved him to have at it. "Fall on your ass. See if I care." However I, of course, hovered close by, just in case he faltered.

In the midst of all my grumbling, he did manage to get up on his own, without my assistance, though he was extremely wobbly on the foot, and of course his gait was off due to his pelvis. I followed him close behind over to the small water closet. At the door he paused to look at me, askance.

"I'm not gonna hold your dick for you while you pee, if that's what you're worried about," I said. "Though, I am your husband, so it would be allowed."

He shot me a look. I reached out to touch his arm. Upon contact, I felt him recoil from me and I snatched my hand away. "Spock?"

He went in and shut the door on me.

As I waited outside and listened, I willed my heart to stop pounding. I let the tension over the past days wash over me. I still couldn't feel him in my head. I wasn't sure if he could feel me, either, but I didn't want to push the issue, not yet at least. Not while he was in this condition. Between Jim coming in the sickbay or calling me every five seconds regarding Spock, it had been me sitting here, worrying about Spock. I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen my own bed in my quarters. Spock was well rested now that he was out of his healing trance, conversely, Jim and I had been walking around here like two exposed nerves; screaming at each other.

After Jim's last argument with me, I had been about to ban him from the sickbay, till on his own he'd decided to turn in for some badly needed sleep. I had a feeling things were going to be strained around here for awhile.

I heard a flush. The door to the bathroom opened and Spock stepped out.

"Everything come out, alright?" I asked.

"Of course, Dr. McCoy." He passed me by and headed towards the ward. I followed him.

"What'd you do, sit down in there? You're recovering from a shattered pelvis. How'd you get back up so fast?"

He kept walking and wouldn't answer me.

"Look, I'm just curious Mr. Spock. I mean, you shouldn't be able to do that. Are you sure you're not in pain? You should have let me in there to help you. It's not like I haven't seen it a million times--"

"This is an inappropriate conversation, Doctor."

"There's nobody else here. We can discuss whatever we want."

"I am not comfortable discussing my personal toilet habits with you."

"Spock. Don't be ridiculous. I need to know these things. Let me help you."

He entered the private cubicle, reached the bio-bed, and sat down on it.

"Hungry?" I asked, almost eagerly.

"I am not."

"I'll make you some Plomeek soup anyway. I'll bet you're famished. And, guess what? I'm going to feed it to you. I seem to remember, not too long ago, when I was infirm and you spoon-fed me soup, and well, payback seems to be a real bitch, doesn't it?" I chuckled awkwardly.

"It is inappropriate for you to spoon feed me."

I scowled, gritted my teeth and said tightly: "Stop telling me what is and what isn't appropriate. You will eat. You are not handling any God-damned utensils with those hands. It is either me who feeds you or Nurse Chapel. One or the other. You decide right now before I place you on medical report. Now, Mr. Spock, what is your decision?"

"Apparently, I have no real choice in the matter. I suppose the task shall be handled by you."

"I always knew you were a clever Vulcan. Morton's Folk, isn't it?" I said, smugly. Well, it was either that or extortion.

He sat there, expressionless as usual.

"Don't get your damned panties in a twist," I shot back. "It's me--for God's sake!" I gesticulated for emphasis.

"Obviously."

I shook my head, then went and made the soup and brought back the tray. As I held up the spoon and fed him, he reacted with each bite as if I'd ordered him to do a naked fox trot on top of a lab table. After we finished up, Jim signaled for entry. I exited the cubicle to meet Jim and let the door shut behind me. I grabbed his arm and steered him into my office.

"What is it, Bones?"

"You finally get some rest?"

"Yes, Mother."

I let out a puff of air. "Don't be a smart ass. I'm not in the mood for it, Jim. If you're still crabby, you're not goin in there."

"I'm the captain."

"I'm the CMO." I mustered up all the challenge in my eyes that I could.

He gave a deep sigh. "I'm sorry I snapped at you yesterday."

"Look, I know the situation is delicate. I realize that what you two went though was hell. I'm still not certain of the extent of any mental trauma on him. We have yet to examine him for that yet."

Jim nodded. I escorted him to the door of Spock's cubicle. I was about to follow him in when he said, "I want to talk to him alone."

"Go easy on him," I hissed.

---------

As much as he'd glared or calmly protested or looked at me stony faced or raised an eyebrow or pleaded his case to me logically, ad infinitum...I wasn't releasing that damned Vulcan from my sickbay until he'd proven to me that he could sufficiently run on the treadmill and perform other physical tests to my satisfaction.

Dr. M'Benga and I performed mental testing on him; he passed with flying colors. However, he was still very distant around me and extremely tight lipped about what had really happened to him on that planet. I had a pretty good idea of some of what had occured, from the extent of his injuries, and from the times I'd managed to be in physical contact with him, but he was obviously able to control his emotions a lot better than any human—hell, his race had invented the 'mind rules' so consequently he was very difficult to read.

M'Benga could only sooth my frustrations by calmly reminding me that he'd eventually open up. Vulcan's often clammed up when dealing with severe trauma. Okay. Fair enough. So I let things pass.

I finally cleared Spock to go back on duty. I'd had enough of his sulking around here, anyway. He was on limited duty only, no going on any landing party excursions. He could handle full bridge watches as long as he allowed the physical therapist, a job currently handled by Christine Chapel, into his quarters to treat him daily, an order which he begrudgingly obeyed.

One evening, I decided to give Christine the evening off and tackle the day's physical therapy with him, myself. She'd appeared thrilled for me to relieve her-- as he probably was just oh so pleasant to her, wasn't he? Poor girl.

I hadn't been to his quarters in a while. I steeled myself for possible conflict as I signaled entry.

"Come," his voice rang out. I entered the overheated lair to find him kneeling on his stone in his meditation robe. The watcher above him was doing its usual thing of staring at me. As I studied Spock, I remembered wearing that very robe myself, once upon a time. The Vulcan looked up. "Doctor? Where is Miss Chapel?"

"I gave her the evening off," I said, arching my eyebrow. "She's had it up to here with you."

"I have not given her any difficulty."

"I know Spock, but you're extremely uncomfortable with her touch. I know that. She's knows that. So I thought I'd do it myself, tonight. Give us a chance to talk in private."

"Unnecessary. Surely you have other duties that are much more pressing."

I made myself at home by flopping onto his bunk. "Ain't nothing more pressing than you, babe. You're my number one concern at the moment."

"I see."

"Now, come over here and lay down on this bunk," I ordered. "Immediately, Commander." He gave one of those insufferable sighs, got up and walked over to me. I stood up too. "Hold on a minute. Let me see those hands."

"I assure you, Dr. McCoy, my hands are healing sufficently."

"I'm the doctor around here, God dammit! Let me see them!" I barked with considerable force. He seemed rather taken aback and meekly placed his fingertips into my grasp. I felt...pain. I let go of one hand, ran my type II sensor over the knitting bones. They seemed alright, but-- "Do they hurt?"

He pulled the other hand out of my grasp. "Nothing that I cannot adequately control."

"I didn't ask that. I asked if they were hurting you. I felt pain."

He was silent and sat back down on the bunk. I grabbed onto his hands again before he could react and briefly rubbed his fingers. As I did so, I felt the humiliation from him loud and clear underneath the discomfort. Humiliation? It was _me_ touching him for crying out loud. "They're a little stiff," I remarked. "That's all." I felt him eventually submit to the touch and relax a micron. "Undress and lie face down. I'll give you a full body massage," I offered, figuring it might further relax him.

"That will not be necessary, Dr. McCoy," he protested.

"It is necessary, if I say it is." I sat down next to him. "Spock. Stop fighting me. Tell me what's wrong. I'm your physician, but I'm also your _adun..._and...I'm worried about you. I love you, Spock."

"No..." he began.

"No?" I tried to meet his eyes, but he wouldn't look at me. "Spock?"

"We are no longer _adun_."

_____________________

end of chapter 24...stay tuned for chapter 25


	25. Chapter 25

Title: The Runes, Chapter 25

Author: T'Prillah 2009

Fandom: Star Trek, The Original Series

Pairings: Spock/McCoy

Rating: NC-17

See chapter one for disclaimer, warnings.

___________________________________

THE RUNES, CHAPTER 25

In my office, I hit the toggle switch on my desk viewer. "Sickbay to bridge."

"_Kirk here. Bones, what is it_?"

"Jim. Sickbay. Now. I want to talk to you."

"_Bones," _came the annoyed voice._ "I'm on watch_."

"Spock's on his way up to relieve you. As soon as he gets his ass into the command seat, I would like to see you, please."

"_Can't this wait?_"

"I would not be bothering you at this hour if it could, Captain."

"_Acknowledged. Kirk out."_

-------

"I thought you'd be in bed by now," Jim noted as he breezed through my office door. "You look like shit. You've lost more weight. Haven't you been eating?"

" 'Chief Mother Hen' is _my_ job," I admonished as I set down my PADD.

"Can't sleep?" he asked softly.

I whirled on him. "I just came from physical therapy with Spock."

"Everything alright with him, Bones?"

I chewed on the inside of my cheek and thought about it. "I don't know."

He narrowed his eyes. "You...don't know... About what?"

"Never mind. I want a complete physical and mental profile on you, Jim. Immediately." I waved my captain over to the main ward.

"Not now, Doctor. I'm needed on the bridge. We're in yellow allert. We've got Romulans staring down at us--"

"Yellow. We're not in 'red alert' yet. You can spare a couple minutes. You've got your first officer competently handling things up there till you return."

"Competently?" Jim chuckled faintly. "You would say that, about your husband."

"He's not... my husband anymore," I ground out with clenched teeth.

"What?"

"The bond was broken, down on the planet," I said quietly. "Didn't you know that, Jim?"

"No I didn't know. Why would I?"

"Just thought you might."

"What happened? Just like that? You're not bonded anymore?"

"I don't know. He's as tight lipped as ever."

"Oh. So I guess you're happy about it being done with?"

I raised an unappreciative eyebrow at the slightly too lighthearted captain in front of me. "Not particularly, no."

Now he had a confused look on his face. "I'm so sorry Bones--"

"Whenever you're ready, Jim," I replied, grimly and ushered the captain into the ward. I was eager to get on with the physical.

I finally got him onto a biobed, performed the complete physical. Utilizing instruments and without, including a prostate exam that I'd allowed him to avoid for months. I also ran a comparison of his mental profile. There was one hitch, I'd checked my personal physician's bag and realized I'd left my perfectly calibrated type II scanner in Spock's quarters and had to resort to using the large one on him instead.

In the meantime, I reported some of my concerns about Spock's well being. Jim attempted to sooth me as Dr. M'Benga had done. In the meantime, my captain sailed though the physical and the mental profiling with flying colors. Everything was perfect. Absolutely fucking perfect. "So," I uttered conversationally, as I was pulling off my glove. "Spock tells me you two were separated for approximately one standard hour. Care to tell me why you did not disclose that little fact to me earlier?"

"Separated?" Jim shook his head. "No Bones, that's not true. We were together the whole time."

"The entire time you were held captive?" I asked, skeptically. "Jim, it's Spock who admitted this."

"When?"

"When I was giving him physical therapy. " Yep. Right after my former _adun_ had told me we weren't bonded anymore. No longer an item. No longer allowed by his standards to be physically intimate--ever again. It was over. That was it. Done. He didn't have the decency to answer my questions--I wanted to know if we could ever bond again. If he wanted to. He probably didn't. Why should he? But, after my grilling, he let slip that little detail about being separated from Jim. I'd picked up on it and he got even more tight lipped. Frustrated, I'd simply left his quarters and let the obstinant Vulcan return to duty. But, I was determined to get to the bottom of this.

Jim scratched his chin. "He's...wrong."

"Wrong? You mean to say, you disagree with your first officer?"

"We weren't separated, Bones. I witnessed everything."

"Everything? What about a forced mind meld or maybe a device used on him to break his marital bond? Did you see anything like that?"

"No Bones. Nothing like that."

"Well, then you didn't see everything, Jim. The fact remains, something happened. He and I are not bonded anymore. They did something to him. He told me you two were separated--"

"No we weren't."

"Jim--"

Jim sat up on the biobed. "I'm telling you, we were not separated. "

"Jim. Did you see them meld with him? Use anything on him? What about you? They use anything on you? Do you remember?"

"No." He had a very lost, faraway look in his eyes. I put my hand on his shoulder. "No, they did nothing like that."

I could feel that he was in earnest. Not that I thought he'd lie to me, but-- "Okay. You're cleared to return to duty. But, if I spot any form of unusual behavior from you, I will not hesitate to relieve you from command."

"You have any doubts about the performance of my duties so far, Bones?"

"Other than you're missing an hour of time, no."

"I'm not missing an hour of time," Jim insisted. "I can account for everything."

"Something doesn't add up." I balled up a fist and hit it into my palm. "Something--"

"Maybe you just need sleep." Jim reached out to me, but I hung back. "I'm sorry about your--"

"It doesn't matter." I waved him off.

"You really love him, don't you?"

"I said, it doesn't matter!" Jim looked at me sharply. "Sorry." I looked down. "I uh--"

"Understood, Doctor." The captain pulled on his uniform and swiftly exited.

I'm not sure if I expected to find anything wrong with the captain. Romulan tampering? I don't know. It's just that something felt very wrong.

Maybe I was just tired. I was definitely tired. Maybe...Spock was mistaken. He could be mistaken, couldn't he? He had been tortured by them, so he could be. How'd they break the bond? How could Jim not have known, or seen anything? I sank down onto the cot in my office to obsess about it. Spock. I wish I knew what had really happened. I wish he'd tell me. I wish I could help him.

06:00 hours. I was still trying to reason everything out, as I lay face down on my office couch. There was a touch on my shoulder. I turned my head to find my head nurse standing very sternly over me. I flipped over and she thrust a cup of very strong, hot coffee at me.

"Hi gorgeous," I croaked out to the lovely blond. "Now, how in the universe do you manage to look so beautiful in the morning?"

"Probably because I actually sleep during rest period, like I'm supposed to, Doctor."

I sipped the coffee, stretched and cracked my back. "Beautiful and a smart ass."

-------

"This group of Romulans," I grumbled to Jim, Spock and Scotty in conference room A, clutching yet another cup of strong hot coffee—as strong as I could program the replicator. "They seem so damned interested in ancient artifacts."

"Not unusual," Spock replied from across the table. He wasn't looking directly at me, instead he was fascinated at whatever was on the computer monitor and only spared me a cursory glance. "The Runes are well known in offshoot races' legend and folklore, for example the--"

"The Romulans wanted the Runes bad enough to want to torture and kill the entire landing party. Why?"

"Unknown," Spock replied, still engrossed in his terminal.

"The Runes are dripping in evil, Jim."

"Dripping? Dr. McCoy?" Spock finally had the decency to look up at me. "I hardly believe that is--"

"Dripping," I shot back. "I'll use whatever description I see fit, Mr. Spock, when I see fit to use it and if you don't like it you can--"

"Gentlemen," Jim broke in.

"Jim. When those Runes were still aboard this ship, things didn't feel right. Everything was turned upside down. Curse or no curse."

"We took care of that," Spock said quietly.

"We sure did, sweetheart," I muttered back, as sarcastically as I could muster. Both of were rewarded with a shocked look from Scotty.

"Gentlemen," Jim warned again us with a look. "Tell me, Doctor. Where are the Runes located now?"

Fuck. I'd told him twice already. I narrowed my eyes at my captain. "I told you where they were."

"T'Pau has possession of them?"

"Yes, of course," I replied. "Isn't that right, Spock?"

Spock remained engrossed in that computer. I studied Jim, we met eyes for a moment. He looked away.

"Dr McCoy, why do you find this artifact so evil?" Scotty asked me.

"Becau--"

"The Runes are not evil," Spock broke in. "There is a malevolent entity that resides within them."

"That makes them evil, Mr. Spock," I insisted.

Jim glared at me. "You Dr. McCoy, brought on board this ship an artifiact which houses a malevolent entity, putting this ship at risk--"

"I didn't know they were haunted Jim."

"Tell me once again, Doctor. Why did you buy them?"

I sighed. "Honestly. Jim, they were pretty--they were enchanting. I thought they were perfectly harmless, I didn't know. Come to find out they had that damned curse attached. Spock and I...we thought we could--" I looked at Spock. "Handle it...ourselves... and now all of this...dammit..."

"Doctor," Scotty asked. "What curse is this?"

Spock looked over at me and so did Jim. All three were waiting for my answer. "Uh..." I began. "They're ancient Vulcan love runes."

"Love Runes?" Scotty looked agast. "Vulcan?"

"That's right, Scotty. Love Runes."

"And what about the curse, Doctor? What sort of curse?"

I looked at Spock. Then back at Scotty. "If you possess them, read the parchment, you have to have sex."

"With who?"

"Well," I glanced at Spock again, who right now seemed to be amused at my being on the hot seat. "In my case. With...uh...Spock."

"Spock?" Scotty looked at Spock then me and back again, thought about it, then blushed. "Oh..."

"Yeap." I mashed my lips together.

Jim shook his head, sighed and scratched the stubble on his face. "I should throw you both in the brig." Scotty still looked bewildered.

"Jim. Perhaps the Romulans believe that they could manipulate the universe with the Runes omnipotent power." I'd meant that as sarcasm.

"They could," Spock answered simply, looking down at his terminal, once again.

A cold chill went through my body. "They...could? Mr. Spock?"

"Most definitely."

"How is that possible? Just from the ancient entity they house? That's preposterous!"

Jim waved me off. "Mr. Spock, can this malevolent entity be excised—destroyed?"

"We will not."

"We?" I demanded.

"We shall not excise the entity regardless of its behavior. Additionally we will not destroy the artifact."

"We?" I asked again.

"Bones, that's enough," Jim said impatiently.

"Spock," I carried on. "What if the Romulans get a hold of the Runes, somehow. Is your home planet willing to let something dangerous like this continue to exist, simply to fall into the wrong hands? Is that what you're telling us?"

"We will take care," Spock replied.

"Foolhardy if you ask me," I snapped.

"I did not ask you."

"Gentlemen," Jim warned once again.

I glared back at Spock, pointedly ignoring Jim. "How did the Romulans find out that we once had them?"

"The proprietor from the shop you purchased the artifact from, on Berengaria Seven."

"He gave them the information...willingly?"

"Negative."

"Didn't think so. And what did they do to him, after he told them?"

"They murdered him," Spock answered as calmly as if he was discussing a report on Earth bees. Typical goddamned heartless Vulcan. I looked at Jim, saw no response from him, either.

I hit the conference table with my fist. "Of course they did. And now we're just gonna stay here like sacrificial lambs! Jim, why aren't we doing anything about it? You're just gonna let them carry on, let them keep committing crimes against the federation--"

Jim and Spock suddenly stood up in unison. "Meeting is adjourned," Jim snapped. Scotty and I exchanged quizzical looks.

"Jim," I called after them. "They're not going to let us get away, are they?"

--------

Later that evening, instead of having a meal break, I sipped a cup of coffee and thought about how to fetch the type II scanner I favored. Spock hadn't been so kind as to return it to me, like I'd hoped he would.

I toggled the desk viewer. "Computer."

"_Working._" The computer's sweet little voice always reminded me of my head nurse. Even though I've teased her repeatedly, Christine always had steadfastly denied that it utilized her voiceprint.

"Location of Commander Spock."

"_Commander Spock is located on Observation Deck."_

"Obvservation Deck? Not on the bridge, Computer?"

"_Negative. The location of Commander_--"

"Stop," I ordered. Strange that he was up there, looking at the stars and not at his station on the bridge. He was technically off duty, but during times of yellow alert, which we were now in, he usually-- Well, rather than bothering the hobgoblin I could simply enter his quarters and retrieve it myself.

They were always unlocked. I entered his overheated abode the air hitting me as soon as the doors swooshed open. I wandered around, looking for my scanner. I didn't spot it immediately. The overhead light was extinguished save for the red illumination of the 'Watcher'. Her light cast long eerie shadows over everything…the Watcher's shadow appeared frighteningly huge against the red curtained wall. Even though I was slightly unnerved, I didn't bother turning up the lights. It wasn't here. Perhaps he took the scanner along with him? Maybe he was planning on visiting sickbay after he exited the observation deck.

It was wrong of me to be here, uninvited. I decided to exit, immediately.

I turned to leave, but then... turned back. The Watcher statue seemed to be glowing brighter. She was always sinister in her demonic way, but this time her glowing stare was unnerving.

I really should leave. Find Spock instead. Get out of here.

I didn't leave. Instead, I stepped closer to her. There was something I hadn't noticed before, held in her clawed hand. I stepped even closer to see what it was.

A rune. A rune? What was one of the Runes still doing here? That's odd.

Seemingly in a trance, I reached out and plucked it from the watcher's stone palm. I stared at it, unable to put it down, held it in my own palm, noted that it was also glowing brightly red. It had a bizarre symbol etched into it, in gold. This didn't appear to be one of the original Runes from the bag, but it looked quite similar. I'd never seen it before. What was it doing here? Where had Spock acquired it from? Was it possible he hadn't returned them at all?

I couldn't put it down, kept staring at it. It seemed to glow brighter and brighter.

I watched in horror as it slowly sunk down into my hand. I yelped. It had left a bloody hole in it's wake...

The doors to Spock's quarters opened, the overhead light went on and I nearly jumped out of my skin. "Doctor?" Spock stood in front of me. "What are you doing in my quarters?"

"Huh?"

"What are you doing in my bedroom?"

"Uh..." I looked down at my hand. There was nothing there. No blood, no hole in my palm. I had been imagining things. Of course. I really needed to get some sleep. "I was uh…" I swallowed hard. "...looking for my scanner."

He pointed to the ledge next to the Watcher. "Your scanner is right where you left it."

"Oh, right." I reached over, picked it up. "You know..." I chuckled. "That...uh... 'Watcher' of yours, I've never liked her. She gives me the creeps sometimes. Honestly Spock." I wiped the sweat off my brow.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine."

"You look like you have just seen death, Doctor."

I looked at him sharply. "Why would you say that? That isn't very logical, coming out of you, is it?" I streamed past him, went towards his cabin door to get the hell out. "Thanks. I got what I needed."

"Leonard."

Something in the tone of his voice made me turn back around to face him. "Yes?"

"Your eyes are bleeding."

________________________

END OF CHAPTER 25...stay tuned for Chapter 26


	26. Chapter 26

Title: The Runes (Chapter 26)

Author: T'Prillah

Fandom: Star Trek, TOS

Rating: NC-17

Main Pairing: S/Mc

Beta: McCoySpockLove

A/N: Thank you all for your very kind reviews! I really appreciate you reading and reviewing.

Disclaimer: See chapter 1 for disclaimer and additional notes.

_________________________________

THE RUNES CHAPTER 26

"_Your eyes are bleeding_."

"HUHHH!" I snapped awake in my quarters, drenched in sweat. "Shit!" _Please, please God_. _Please God...if there is a God...Make the dreams stop...now. _I scrambled up out of bed, went directly to the bathroom mirror and examined my eyes. They were a little red, but fine. Actually, they were extremely bloodshot, irritated by my lenses. They hurt like hell—felt like thousands of little scratches crisscrossing the whites of my eyes-- but they were not _bleeding. _

With shaky hands I poured myself some water into the unwashed Saurian Brandy glass I'd had from last night. I padded back into the office area and noticed a shiny object on my desk.

It was my scanner.

--------

I walked along the strangely deserted corridor and stopped midstride.

A little girl with long, blond hair and the bluest eyes one did ever see, stood there. She was dressed in a cute, frilly, pink nightgown and little white bunny slippers. A little pink story PADD was clutched tightly in her hands.

"Hi, Pumpkin," I said to her. "What are you doing out of bed?" She shrugged one shoulder in a perfect imitation of me. Did I teach her that? "Want me to read you a bedtime story?"

She nodded, ran up to me and hugged me around the legs.

I bent over and kissed the top of her head. "Gosh, you're getting so big." I took her back to her room and tucked her in, then sat on the edge of her bed. "Which story do you want me to read?"

"I want Struwwelpeter," she replied sweetly.

"Struwwelpeter, again?" I laughed, uneasily. I always found that particular book a little too morbid— "Which story?" I asked.

"Sucka thumb," she replied in her little girl voice.

"Ah." I pressed the PADD and called up: 'The Story of Little Suck-a-Thumb'. That particular nursery rhyme was about a little boy who had been warned by his mother not to suck on his thumb. When the mother went out of the house one day, the boy started sucking. So a roving tailor came by with a pair giant of scissors cut off the poor boy's thumbs.

Like I said, it was morbid, but my little girl always made me read it.

--------

"Morpazine, huh?"

"Evening, Doctor," I muttered to our ship's dentist, now standing at the foot of my desk, in a half-hearted attempt to be polite. I snapped open the little bottle, swallowed a little red pill, picked up my half full glass and knocked back a sip.

"Morpazine with a Bourbon chaser," he clucked disapprovingly, sidling up to a chair. "Not exactly regulation is it?"

I eyed the kid as he got himself a glass and with a clink, poured some of my best Bourbon into it making himself right at home. In my office. "I don't recall inviting you to this party."

"You didn't."

"So what do you need—besides drinking my best Bourbon?"

"There's no need to be nasty, Dr. McCoy. We're colleagues for God's sake."

I sighed and took another sip. "It's late, Gulley."

"You look a little lonely."

"I'm not." I stood up, polished off the rest, set my glass over onto the shelf without washing it out. "Actually I was just about to go on to my quarters for my rest period."

He leaned back, studying me. "You can't sleep."

"What do you mean by that?" I knew exactly what he meant, but it was none of his business.

"I mean you're either having terrible nightmares or you've got full on insomnia--if you've stooped to taking Morpazine."

"It's a mild sedative," I protested.

"Uh, huh. Not with booze it aint," he shot back. I wouldn't respond to that, put the bottle back into the cupboard where it belonged, got my PADD together to get the hell out. Gulley cleared his throat and held up his hand.

I scowled as I tossed over the bottle. He opened it up and swallowed two of the little red pills. "I did not see that," I growled.

-------

My eyes cracked open. As soon as the blurry haze cleared and the dry heat hit my senses, I knew. These were not my quarters.

I sat up, felt the room spin...more than a few times...decided to lie back down for the time being. I laid there for a minute then finally decided to fight against the spinning room. I finally propped myself up on my elbows and glanced over at the watcher statue. She was doing her usual sinister thing of staring directly at me. I immediately got a chill and turned away from her, groaning in the process.

"Good morning, Doctor," I heard Spock's voice call out to me from the office area.

"How'd I get here?" I replied in a demanding voice, dispensing with any and all pleasantries.

I watched as he calmly stood from his desk, put his PADD down and walked over to the partition to stare at me through the metal grid. "You arrived at my door with assistance from the ship's dentist. You were, as he put it: 'rather out of it'. I could only agree by viewing your extremely inebriated physical state."

"Great," I muttered into my arm. "I do anything to embarrass myself?"

"Nothing more than usual."

Fucking smartass. That's all I needed this morning. Bullshit from the Vulcan. I finally asked him, to clarify: "Gulley brought me here, huh?"

"I believe I said that."

I sighed and ignored that answer. "You stay up all night working?"

"As my bunk was occupied, I found it prudent to remain at my monitor."

I found the courage to swing my legs over in an attempt to sit up. "You didn't have to stay there. I mean, I don't bite. We could have shared--"

"I can forgo sleep for an extended period if necessary."

Right. Of course he can. I wished I could forgo sleep for an extended period if necessary. Unfortunately for me, the lowly feeble human, I needed sleep badly. If I managed to fall asleep at all, which wasn't usually happening, I was either waking up screaming, or unable to break out of these horrific nightmares. Now, I could add blackouts to the list. Nice.

I sighed, mightily, finally pushed myself off the bunk and staggered into his bathroom.

As soon as I made it there, however, I was overcome with nausea. I dropped and crawled over to the toilet, where I puked up the entire contents of my stomach for the past three days. Nothing but coffee, booze and the sleeping pills. Now, if had been combined with amphetamines it be just like my med-school days. Oh joy. I kept up the grotesque retching-- hoping he couldn't hear me in here, knowing he probably could. I eventually graduated to the dry heaves. When it finally abated, I collapsed against the toilet bowl for a few moments. The welcoming coolness felt so good against my pounding head.

I finally scrabbled up, poured myself a glass of water into Spock's water glass, rinsed my mouth out to get the awful vomit taste out. Poured another glassful, drank it down, nearly dropped the glass as I set it back on the sink. I sat down on the toilet, peed sitting down, flushed it but continued sitting there, rubbing my face with shaky hands. "Spock!" I called out.

He suddenly appeared, staring down at me. "Dr. McCoy?" Obviously, Spock was taking great pains to ignore the fact that I was quite nude, sitting here on his toilet. Well, I saw no need to hide my nakedness from him. So I didn't.

"Spock, just, do me a favor, contact sickbay and have them beam over a hypo of Anti-ol. Cetron D should do the trick." He darted out to do my bidding. "Wait! Spock?"

"Yes, Doctor?" he called back.

"And some...uh...Tri-ox."

The hypo materialized in no time. Spock returned with it, attempted to use it on me but I batted his hands away and glared at him. He handed it to me instead and I shot myself in the wrist. Almost immediately, the headache was gone. He still stood there studying me.

"Look. I'm fine, okay?" I tried not to snarl at him, too much. "Just a little hung over."

Spock still appeared unconvinced but finally shrugged with one shoulder. Where'd he pick that up from? Did I teach him that? "You may use my shower, if you wish," he offered.

"That'd be great, thanks," I mumbled back and watched him quickly vacate the area, back to his damned office area to let me do my thing. "Want to join me?" I muttered, half jokingly, in his wake.

I palmed the shower to 'on' and soaped myself up, letting the warmth of the water sooth the ache in my muscles. God, it felt good. Amazing. Even after my hangover, even though I was terribly groggy from my dreamless sleep (or state of unconsiousnes to be more precise), even though I was not in the greatest frame of mind lately, I was finding myself getting extremely aroused in here. In Spock's shower.

Understandable, I suppose, especially since I found my mind wandering while under this warm spray, found myself thinking back-- remembering what he and I used to do in here. Remembering how he used to take me, how I used to demand that he take me.

Now, I wondered if he knew I was touching myself in here. Probably. Wish he would just hop in here with me and--

That thought propelled me into in the single most unsatisfying orgasm known to man, but it would do for now.

Spock eyed me warily from his desk as I came out of his bathroom with only a towel around my waist. I pulled it off, unashamed, and looked around for my stuff. "Are you certain that you are alright?" he asked.

I pulled on my uniform from last night, that he'd so thoughtfully folded up for me and set on his nightstand, sat down on his bunk and quickly dove into my socks and boots. "Oh, Spock." I grinned at the pixie. "Are you trying to say that you still care about me?"

"I am merely enquiring into the physical state of a fellow officer."

"Right." I stood up. "Well, then. Thanks for the night," I joked feebly.

He raised an eyebrow in response.

I turned to go, hesitated, turned back around to face him. "Spock."

"Yes, Doctor?"

"About what happened. I uh--"

"It is unnecessary to apologize, Doctor." He turned back to his monitor, now apparently uninterested in what I had to say. Fine. I turned on my heel and exited his quarters.

---------

I stood next to the command seat on the bridge and stared with incredulity at the viewscreen. The Romulan Warbirds that had been staring us down for the past few days were no longer watching us. They had suddenly disappeared from view--winked out of existence! "Jim!"

"Fascinating," I heard Spock murmur from the science station.

"Red alert," Jim said, almost too calmly. There was no alarm to accompany that order. The bridge lights merely dimmed to red. Odd. Usually the siren made a horrible racket. Instead, you could hear a pin drop.

Suddenly the bosun's whistle sounded loudly, making Chekov and me nearly jump out of our skins. "_McCoy required in sickbay, emergency! McCoy required in sickbay, emergency!" _

I dove into the lift headed to sickbay before Uhura could finish saying: "He's on his way!"

---------

"Unbelievable," I murmured to Dr. M'Benga as we stood staring at my patient.

"It is rather," M'Benga agreed, with arms folded.

My trusty head nurse, now lying heavily sedated on the bio-bed, had suffered a serious accident with a laser scalpel. She had been found in the lab in a pool of blood. She had severe injuries but luckily I had been able to patch her back up. It was a good thing I had plenty of stored plasma. The thing was, some of the wounds appeared to be deliberate. Deliberate?

I checked her psych file. She was as "four oh" as can be. Nothing was there to indicate that she should suffer from any sort of depression, no suicidal tendencies, no mental illness, nothing that would show she was predetermined for anything of the sort. Suicide. It didn't seem logical. Not Christine Chapel.

As I went into my office to change out of my scrubs, I'd noticed that the doorway light suddenly changed from Red Alert to Yellow. That was strange. I flipped the switch on my office monitor. "McCoy to captain."

"_Kirk here_." Jim, in the monitor, stared back at me with an unreadable expression.

"Yellow alert, Jim?"

"_Bones. Don't worry about command decisions, unless you want me coming down there and telling you how to run sickbay,_" came the terse reply back.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek in annoyance. "I was simply curious as to why--."

"_Duly noted. Kirk out_." End of transmission.

--------

"Doctor?" Christine Chapel stood in front of me in my office.

"Hi, sweetheart," I said, and smiled warmly as I looked up from my monitor. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Do you have a moment?"

"Of course. For you, anything." I motioned for her to sit down at my desk.

"I wanted...to..." she hesitated. "Talk about what had happened..." I nodded and waited expectantly. "I don't understand," she began.

"Well," I soothed. "You just had an accident. That's all."

"No. It wasn't an accident."

I shifted in my seat. "No?"

"No. It felt... as if something was in my head... telling me to cut myself, maybe even… kill myself," she admitted tearfully. "Slicing myself with the scalpel somehow had felt _pleasurable_! I've never experienced anything like that before!"

Oh my God. I immediately leaped over to her and held her tight. I knew it was terribly frightening. Her distress was completely overwhelming for me—now that I possessed this Vulcan voodoo 'touch telepathy' gift--but I kept on holding her, wanted her to know everything would be okay. Finally she felt well enough to return to her quarters. I offered her a sedative, but she declined.

-------

The next day, I personally performed a thorough mental and physical exam on my nurse, but she again showed no signs of mental illness, no known depression, nothing amiss that would make her feel that way. I wrote up a report, and ultimately was forced to dismiss the incident as an aberation. Possibly stress related. I prescribed her to be on light duty for the next few weeks, get as much rest as she could.

The problem with this crew is they never seemed to take care of themselves.

--------

I frantically paced back in forth in conference room A as Jim stood there, staring coldly at me. "That's enough, Bones."

"Jim, listen to me! Don't you think this is downright odd!? You get an order from Starfleet Command, suddenly sending us on our way, without finding out what happened to the Romulans?!"

"I have my orders."

I stopped and stared at him. "You think this is perfectly alright?"

"The Romulans are gone."

"They're not gone, Jim! We should... do something!"

"What do you suggest, Bones?"

"I don't know. I'm a doctor...not a starship captain."

"Exactly. Leave the Starship commanding to me."

"Jim, I just—The Romulans could be following us, cloaked. Did you ever think of that?"

"Don't you think you're being more than a little paranoid, Doctor?"

I resumed my pacing. "Paranoid?! Jim! You've accused me of a great many things, but you've never, ever, _ever_ called me paranoid."

He calmly leaned against the conference table with folded arms. "Have I done anything that even comes close to warranting you wanting to relieve me of my command?"

"No, Jim. You've done everything by the book. It's just that you and Spock--"

"What about us?"

"You and Spock have been acting bizarrely since you came back from that planet."

"Bizarrely?" he shot back. "How?"

"I don't know...I can't put my finger on it..."

"Seems to me you're the one with the problem," he replied. "Not us."

---------

_Delta Vega_

One week later we were orbiting Delta Vega, the planet where my late third shift assistant Dr. Sanchez's wife, Dr. Bell, resided. And while we were at it my wife Jocelyn also apparently resided there. I tried not to think about that. _Fifteen years..._

I was being kept in the dark about the reasons why our captain insisted on delivering the horrific news of the death of Dr. Sanchez personally. Usually, Starfleet simply sends a transmission to the bereaved. While we were still close to the Neutral Zone--Delta Vega was damned close—I also noticed that our captain hadn't held a department head debriefing regarding any situation updates for one standard week. That worried me. I checked regulations. Debriefings, or the lack of one were the captain's discretion.

I noted any concerns I had about that and about the captain's current emotional state in my Chief Medical Officer's log. It was all I could do at the moment.

----------

The next morning at 08:45, the bosun's whistle sounded as I was puttering around in the sickbay. _"Kirk to McCoy."_

"McCoy here, Jim."

"_Transporter room. Ten minutes_."

I arrived in transporter room A, to find Jim and Spock waiting on me. "I'm beaming down to Vega, I presume?"

"I figured you'd want to accompany us," Jim replied evenly.

I nodded. The three of us stepped onto the pads all the while I eyed Jim and Spock warily. Spock hadn't even bothered to acknowledge my presence.

Scotty and I exchanged a worried glance.

"Energize."

We materialized in front of a white frame house built on about an acre of land. It was warm, with a cool breeze. The house itself was storybook. Slatted, with a stone foundation, complete with a long porch. In fact it closely resembled my childhood home in Conyers. Due to the law of parallel development, Delta Vega resembled Earthlike conditions rather closely, down to the orange and brown leaves falling from something that resembled very much an old oak tree. It was replete with some lovely, green grass that scrunched under our boots as we walked up. I could retire here.

As we got closer to the front door, I had to smile fondly at the porch swing off to the side. A porch swing built for two. It reminded me of my early, happy, days with Jo. We spent many a hot, humid summer making out on a porch swing nearly identical to that one.

Jim rang the doorbell. The front door was an old-style, wooden, cherry stained door, with stained glass. Again, just like the house of my youth in Conyers. I strained my ears and finally heard footsteps approaching. The door opened and stunningly beautiful, blond, blue eyed woman stood gazing pleasantly at us in the doorway. Her eyes took in Spock, Jim, and then ultimately settled on me. She nodded at me. I gulped and nodded back.

She exchanged greetings with Jim, who introduced himself and then his officers. She invited us all in and sat us down on the comfortable sofa in the living room. "Dr. Bell," she explained, apologetically, "is away at the moment and should return in an hour or two."

"We'll wait," Jim said grimly.

"Would you three like a drink?" she offered.

"Yes," Jim replied sweetly. I should have known. An attractive female in the room and Jim suddenly was smiling his trademark suave, 'Jim Kirk' smile. Immediately turning on the charm. Glad to see he wasn't totally acting out of character. "I'll have a drink," he said quietly. "What about you, Bones? Spock?"

Spock said nothing but I responded politely: "Of course."

"Mint julep okay?"

Jim's eyes darted over to me and then back to her. "That would be fine." His smile got even wider.

Jim prodded me as we sat on the sofa and waited for our drinks. "Mint Julips? She'd be perfect for you."

I smiled back. "She makes the best Mint Julips around."

"Oh?"

She returned with our drinks and we sat there, perched on the sofa, sipping them, rather awkwardly. Spock simply sat there, looking at nothing in particular.

"Sure you wouldn't like a drink, uh, Mr. Spock?" she asked.

"No, thank you," he replied, stiffly.

A long awkward silence ensued. We sipped. A throat was cleared. "Len," she finally said to me to break the ghastly quiet. "You're looking well."

"You too," I said and grinned. "In fact you're more beautiful than ever."

"You two know each other?" Jim gasped.

"Jim," I said. "This is my wife, Jocelyn McCoy."

_______________________________

End of Chapter 26, Stay tuned for Chapter 27!!


	27. Chapter 27

The Runes: Chapter 27

By T'Prillah --Oct 2009

Fandom: Star Trek: The Original Series

Pairing: Spock/McCoy

Rating: M (horror, h/c, see chapter 1 for author's notes, disclaimer)

___________________

I could just about see the question forming in Jim's brain. _Wife? Not Ex_? He recovered nicely, nodded, replied to her politely--but not without choking a mite on his Mint Julip: "Nice to meet you, Mrs. McCoy."

"Please, call me Jocelyn."

"Jocelyn was the voice on the long range transmission, Jim. Remember?" I prodded.

"Yes," he stammered, obviously flustered. "Of course I remember."

"It's been a long time, Len."

"Yes. It certainly has." Out of the corner of my eye, I caught an awkward shift from Spock, perched there on the edge of the sofa.

Dr. Bell still hadn't arrived. The wait was starting to become long and awkward...so to pass the time waiting, Jo and I started telling stories.

"Jo," I said, chuckling. "Remember that one time I said 'shit' right in front of the Vulcan princess?"

"I remember!" She giggled.

Spock raised an unappreciative eyebrow. "Indeed. That must have been interesting."

"She was touring the hospital," I continued on, "and I was just a--what a second year resident?"

"First year," Jo supplied.

"That's right," I agreed, "and this huge group of Vulcan dignitaries visited my hospital in Louisiana and we were all excited, right? The head of surgery, says to me: 'Dr. McCoy, you are to show the princess around your ward tomorrow.'" So, the next day, I was nervous as hell and while I was giving her the grand tour of my ward, suddenly I slipped backward and fell on my ass."

"Right in front of the princess?" Jim asked politely.

"Yes, and as I fell, I'd said: 'Oh shit!'. So, later on as I was getting lunch in the canteen, I discovered it was all over the hospital--word travels fast-- that I'd said 'shit' in front of this Vulcan princess. And as soon as I entered this canteen, everybody stood up and applauded!"

Jim snickered. Jo laughed--that pretty laugh that I hadn't heard in years. Spock raised an eyebrow.

"Later on, my head of surgery comes up to me and says: 'Dr. McCoy, I bet you stayed up all night wondering just what to say in front of the princess.'"

"No!" Jim exclaimed. Jo laughed even harder and Spock just looked uncomfortable.

"Yes," I continued on, "but the next day, I was feeling guilty about what had happened, and wondering if I should--you know--apologize to the Vulcans or something. But that head of Surgery, I forget his name now..."

"Dr. Saylor," Jo supplied.

"Right. Thanks. So, Dr. Saylor calls me into his private office and says: 'Good news Dr. McCoy, I attended a function last night. And I got into a conversation with the Vulcan princess. And guess what? She doesn't know what "shit" means!'"

Spock cleared his throat, Jo and I howled and Jim shook his head. "You never told me that story, Bones."

"Bones?" Jo wondered.

"Yes. _Bones_. It's uh," I explained, "Jim's nickname for me."

"I seem to remember, back home in Georgia, they used to call him '_Pill_'," Jo said.

"Not, '_Plum_'?" Jim said, unhelpfully.

I shot him a dirty look. "No, Jim. Not '_plum_'. You're thinking of someone else."

Suddenly the door shut, the four of us froze, turned around. It was Dr. Bell. I stood up. Jim and Spock followed my lead.

As one might of guessed, she took the news of her husband's death very hard, with intermittent sadness and anger at the three of us. She hadn't seen him in years-- thanks to Starfleet Medical. She wanted to know everything about how it had happened. I felt forced into supplying the information to her but I honestly relayed everything--well as best as I could. Jim and Spock were the only true witnesses to what had occured on that planet, but they made no move to supplement my explanation.

She became listless. Eventually, I helped her to her room to lie down and sat down next to her on the bed. "I am very sorry," I said again.

"You were his immediate superior?"

"Yes," I said. "He was my third shift relief."

"A good one?"

"The best," I replied. "A very funny man."

She chuckled faintly. "That how he got me to go out with him. His terrible jokes."

"Aw, they weren't that bad," I protested, then added: "Actually they were." She and I both laughed.

"I never got to spend much time with him. He shipped out right away after we married. Only could home home...for short visits."

"I'm so sorry, Dr. Bell," I said again.

She nodded. "I know. He was in starfleet. We both knew the dangers."

There was a heavy silence, and I reached out and patted her arm.

"My son...he's still at school. I have to go pick him up," she finally said.

I ran my type II scanner over her. "Jocelyn's gone to get him." I glanced at her. "If that's okay."

"You're her husband, Leonard, right?"

I stopped the scanner. Hesitated for a moment, then: "Yes. That's right. I am."

"She's mentioned you."

"Has she?"

"Yes...uh...I'm sorry...my son, I promised him...I promised him I would... take him to Nu-Pike tomorrow afternoon after I did my consults. I promised him..." she trailed off.

"Nu-Pike?" I wondered softly.

"It's an... amusement park."

I brought out a hypo out of my bag, popped a very mild sedative onto the top. "You should take it easy this weekend--"

"I promised him," she insisted.

I thought for a moment. "What about--what about if Jocelyn took your son--would that be alright? Then you could get some rest."

"I suppose, that would be fine," she said in a monotone. I pressed the hypo against her arm, hoping that Jo wouldn't mind that I'd volunteered her for the job.

"Then don't you worry about a thing."

After she was resting comfortably for a little while, I walked out into the living room to where Jim was sitting with Spock. "Jim, I should stay here--overnight at least--to see how Dr. Bell's doing in the morning."

"You're all welcome to stay here," Jo offered. At the same time I had, she'd entered the living room with Dr. Bell's son in tow. "As long as you like. But we only have the two spare rooms."

"I shall beam up to the ship," Spock said quietly.

"No, no. Spock," Jim insisted. "If the lady has invited us, then we'll all stay."

"Where's my mommy?" the little boy suddenly asked.

I knelt down, gently touched the boy on the shoulder. "Uh, she's not feeling very well. She's asleep in her room."

He seemed bewildered by that, but accepted that answer. "Oh."

While Jim and Spock played catch with the boy in the backyard, Jo and I prepared dinner in the kitchen. After we'd talked a little about Dr. Sanchez, our conversation turned a little more lighthearted as we periodically looked out the window at the three of them, shaking our heads about how Spock had to run after many of the overthrown balls.

"Your captain isn't much of a baseball player," Jo teased in the middle of slicing some tomato.

"I guess you don't need that particular skill to be a brilliant starship commander." I chuckled as we peered out at them. It was a little odd. Normally Jim was very athletic. But perhaps, baseball just wasn't his thing. It wasn't proving to be Spock's forte either. "I should prepare him some soup. He'll pick at his food, but I want him to eat. The salad isn't going to be enough for him."

"The captain?" she wondered.

"No," I muttered. "Sorry, not Jim. I'm thinking about Mr. Spock. He's a vegetarian."

"Well then, we have plenty of vegetables in the pantry."

I nodded as I looked into the possibilities. "What about gumbo? I used to make a mean veggie gumbo."

"I remember." She smiled at that. "And pumpkin pie. You did every Thanksgiving."

"I can't even remember the last time I had a good old fashioned Southern Thanksgiving dinner."

"Really?"

"Not since I joined the service," I replied and chewed on the inside of my cheek. "I'll bet Spock's never even had gumbo, but I think he can handle it. He could eat a bowl of termites and it not affect his system, but getting him to actually, eat anything substantial..."

I trailed off as I realized I was rambling. She smiled fondly at me and shook her head.

------

As to be expected, dinner was quiet.

Dr. Bell woke up and she'd eaten a little dinner with us. She put her son to bed then retired for the night.

I went into the kitchen, shoed Jo out of there and took care of the cleanup and dishes myself. No dishwasher in this house. Unusuall for most folks, I guess, but this was a very old house and aparently not fitted with mod cons. I had to do all the washing/drying by hand, but I really didn't mind. Jim had come into the kitchen at one point to offer his assistance. Being as I had nearly finished my task I waved him off. As soon as I'd walked back into the living room, Jim declared he was exhausted. After Jo showed him to his room, he darted his head back from the doorway. "Spock. Are you coming?"

Spock gave a hesitant glance between Jim and I. "Affirmative." He passed Jim by, went into 'their' room.

I stared into Spock's wake for a moment till I met Jim's eyes as he leaned nonchallantly agaisnt the doorway. "Goodnight, Bones," he said in an almost singsongy voice. The smirk he gave me... was... cruel before he disappeared and shut the door. I stood there for a moment, aghast.

So that left me. Alone. I nodded stiffy at Jo. "Goodnight."

I entered 'my' room, shutting the door behind me, slinging my tri-corder and medical kit onto the bedside table, with no more force than usual and with the sound of Velcro my phaser and communicator joined the lot.

If he preferred the captain, then it was none of my business, now, was it.

My T-shirt and trousers joined the tunic on the floor. I picked the fluffy white robe off the dresser-- pulled it on. A shower would do me some good. The bathroom should be an improvement to the facilities on board ship. I left the room and strode out into the hallway.

Right before I reached the bathroom door, it opened and Jo came out, also with a robe on and not much else.

"Oh," I said, a little embarrassed. "Sorry."

She stared at my rather exposed chest, then she met my eyes. I tried not to look down at her legs or her nearly exposed cleavage. "I don't mind," she said.

I smiled back at her, then went on into the bathroom.

After a long, relaxing shower--and yes, the facilities were by far an improvement over what I had on board ship. I returned to the room, lay down on the bed, closed my eyes. It was comfortable, maybe I'd actually get some sleep for once.

In my jacket, I heard the ringing going off for the third time-- I dug frantically into the pockets of my medcoat for my cellphone, popping it open at the last second: "Hello?"

"Leonard?"

"Yeah, what is it?" Stupid time for my wife to be calling me in the middle of my fucking shift--it had been frantic since last night. One guy coded, two fresh DOA's, another major MVC/epidural hematoma just come in-- I was running on 2 hours sleep--I needed some more coffee and maybe some pills-- what the fuck did she think she was doing?

"It's coming."

"_What is_?!" I demanded.

"The baby--"

My eyes flitted open. It was dawn, the light was streaming through the curtains. I got up out of bed, threw open the curtains and stared out the window. Been a while since I'd woken up to a real dawn. Not since the last shore leave. It was beautiful, the dew glistening off the trees in the sunlight.

After I dove back into my uniform, I went downstairs. Already sitting there was Jim, and Jo.

"Morning," I mumbled to Jo, doing my level best to ignore Jim--well didn't he look so happy and well rested, sitting there, just beaming from ear to ear. Glowing even. Jo handed me some coffee. "Where's Spock?"

"Oh," Jim said. "He beamed back to the ship."

_________

to be continued...

Stay tuned for the Halloween special 'The Runes...Chapter 28' appearing on... Halloween.

a/n: The 'shit' in front of the princess story, comes from the famous story that DeForest Kelley used to tell. Except De's princess was a greek princess, not Vulcan!


	28. Chapter 28

Title: The Runes (Chapter 28)

Author: T'Prillah

Fandom: Star Trek TOS

Rating: M

Pairings: Spock/McCoy, McCoy/Jocelyn

See chapter 1 for disclaimer, author's notes. Thank you for reading and thank you so much for your wonderful reviews!

* * *

CHAPTER 28

_Nu-Pike_

I wasn't about to let Jocelyn go all on her own with the kid to "Nu-Pike" so I invited myself along. Jim offered to stay behind with Dr. Bell.

It was a scene straight out of 20th century old Earth. An old fashioned amusement park by the beach. Pictures of the old 'Coney Island' on the East Coast or the 'Long Beach Pike' on the West Coast came to mind. There were the games of chance: baseballs being thrown at milk bottles, darts aimed at balloons, the pitching of dimes into plates, the heavy sound of a sledgehammer to make the bell ring, the shouts of the crowds of people everywhere, stalls serving all kinds of unhealthy fried food, salty-sweet smells of salt-water taffy and peanuts, the unmistakable odors of bearing grease from the rides.

The dodge'ems, the tilt a whirl, the light-a-line, the penny arcade, the carousel with it's antique calyope playing: "I'm In Love with the Man in the Moon" and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". There was the fat lady who wanted to guess our weight, and who got pretty damned close.

The main attraction of the "NuPike Amusement park" was the Cyclone Racer roller coaster, looming large over everything like a sacred monolith. The little boy, Alik, was entranced with it, but he was only four---a little too young. Of course he started begging to go on it. Jo and I glanced at each other. I didn't like the looks of the rickety thing and Jo, trying hard to conceal her wicked grin left it up to me to play bad cop.

Perhaps I was the one who was too terrified to go on it. It was constructed out of wood and appeared a little unsafe from my vantage point, and there was no damned age-restriction on it. The little boy started to cry so I consoled him and myself by buying him a huge bag of salt water taffy and some cotton candy--yes-- lots of sugar, that'll make him happy and hyper--and popcorn and funnel cake for Jo and real fountain Coke for all of us. How long had it been since I'd eaten that? Not since the last time I'd been to a midway at the Georgia State Fair.

After we'd consumed nearly everything I had bought, we commenced hitting every kiddie ride the place had to offer for the next couple of hours. We stopped at a game--throw the softballs into the milk jug-- so Jo could take a crack at winning a stuffed monkey she'd been eyeing up. She of course, won.

We went on the beautiful painted antique carousel with it's gold ring to reach out for. I lifted the little boy onto a horse and his eyes shown with delight. "What a lovely family you've got there, Sir," the carny running the thing, said.

"Thank you," I said, proudly. Jo's eyes widened in surprise.

"You a commander?" the man asked, looking at my stripes.

"Lieutenant Commander," I replied.

"Ah. Servicemen. Always welcome."

The ride ended, we rode a few more times then moved on. Alik looked up at me, holding his arms up. "What?" I asked him as I was grinning like a banshee, knowing he wanted to be picked up.

"He likes you," Jo whispered, as I lifted him up to ride on my shoulders.

The kid patted my head like a drum as he rode. I held onto to his legs so he wouldn't fall. Jo linked her arm in mine. I whispered back, "I guess he does."

"I have to use the bathroom," Jo suddenly piped up, as we wound our way though the throng of people.

"Aw, Sweetheart, now didn't you just go?" I drawled, then was a little taken aback at just how easily I'd slipped back into everything: Father, husband...

"Won't be but just a minute," she drawled back, leaned over, kissed me on the cheek...and headed over to the ladies room.

As we watched her leave, Alik suddenly asked me, "are you my daddy?"

That caught me off guard. "Uh...no. I'm a ...uh...friend of your daddy's."

"Oh..." he simply said.

Jo finally returned, and we walked on, coming to a stop in front of a structure: A waxworks exhibit. "Len, let's go in there."

Over the sounds of an organ continuously playing "Colonel Bogey" the barker at the entrance took tickets, waving us in. He was clad in a candy striped suit, and the whole set up looked downright seedy, but against all my...well not my fears, just my judgment... I shrugged, and we went inside anyway. Alik was still riding on my shoulders, getting heavier as he felt like he was about to fall asleep.

Inside was simply as it was advertised to be, a collection of wax effigies, none of them real, but Jo seemed to be having fun as we went from display to display. I simply held onto her hand, not really enjoying the dark all that much either. There was an odd odor in here, a musty odor. The hairs on the back of my neck pricked up as we moved from one wax-work to another. Most figures wore various sorts of military uniforms, important figures throughout Delta Vegan history.

There was a waxwork of a murderer called D'arallat. He was holding a menacing looking butcher knife over a 'dead body' complete with fake blood. I couldn't help but shudder as we walked on. I glanced back at it, and I could swear he, or rather it, was looking right at me, but I was imagining things.

The next display featured a waxwork of a doctor, sewing up a patient as the poor creature lay there on a bed in agony. It represented a time when I suppose even on Delta Vega they used needles and sutures...oh my dear God...

"Leonard," Jo whispered. "It's not real."

"I know it's not...but Jesus Christ...look at that..." I glanced up at the little boy. He was asleep. "Jo..." I began.

"We're nearly at the end." She tightened her grip on my hand. I hurried Jo past it, couldn't help but turn around...again. I could swear the murderer turned his head and smiled at me. Jesus--

"Len..."

"Coming." We came upon a small figure on display wearing old-Earth style cowboy clothing. I studied the placard hanging near it. 'A 1,000 year old man,' it proclaimed. It was ....just hanging by the neck, with some old rope, just hanging there. It seemed different than all the others on display. I didn't have my larger tri-corder on me so reached into my medical bag and surreptitiously pulled out my type II scanner.

"What are you doing?" Jo whispered.

"Checking something," I muttered.

"Leonard. It's wax."

"I'm in Starfleet. You never know. I've seen it all." I cocked my type II at it, held it up into the low light, and squinted at it. "I thought so. That thing is real."

"Real what?"

"Human. Dead human. It's a mummy, preserved in Arsenic. They haven't used that as a preservative on Earth for--hundreds of years."

"Leonard," she nearly scoffed. "It can't be. These are wax works."

"I'm telling you, Joss, this thing is real, about 500 years old. It's really human. Look." I held out the type II for her to see.

"Wax," she said.

I pulled it back to study the readings again.

And studied it. Again. "Huh. Wax."

She smacked me lightly in the side. "You're trying to scare me."

"The readings originally said human. Thing must be malfunctioning." I hit the type II against my leg then held it up and scanned again. Wax. I reached out, wanting to touch it. I'd be able to tell with an exam--

"There's the exit." She pulled me along. I sighed, gave in and followed her to the brightly lit sign. Before we walked out, there was the murderer, standing by the door, holding up his butcher knife, with the fake blood.

I breathed and pointed. "The murderer."

"Leonard," she said with a half terrified smile, "stop trying to frighten me."

"I'm serious. That's him. How'd he get over here?" I held my scanner up-- it too was wax. I gave her an apologetic shrug. "Either I'm wrong, or this scanner's wrong. Spock always claims I'm the one who's wrong."

She laughed and shook her head.

Right before we went out the door, I couldn't help but look over my shoulder. I could have sworn the figure looked up and smiled at me, but again, I was simply imagining things.

We went around the building and again walked by the candy striped barker at the entrance and the organ that was still playing "Colonel Bogey" over and over. "You got a real human mummy in there," I told him as we passed.

"It's nigh on impossible, eh-ya," he called out in a strange, shrill, lilting voice. "Tis all wax works."

"See?" she all but hissed as we moved out of his earshot.

"Fascinating."

"What is?"

"That man. He sounded exactly like this...bizarre individual we met on a planet we'd visited a few years back called beta III. It was controlled by this super computer called Landru...and I do mean absolute mental control. The citizens were absolutely mindless. My own mind was even taken over-- briefly."

"You?"

"Yeah. It was the strangest feeling...wanting to obey the will of Landru. This feeling of... pure bliss. I was absolutely besotted by him. I was trapped inside my own head, unable to formulate my own independent thoughts. I could feel Spock trying to reach me by the Vulcan Mind Meld, but I didn't want him to."

"Vulcan Mind Meld?"

"Yes, it's uh...difficult to explain." I gripped her hand, felt her confusion bubbling to the surface as we walked on. I'd never told anybody what had happened before on Beta III and I felt like telling her now. "When we'd first beamed down, this very unusual man, I remember his name was Bilar, told us it was nearly 'The Red Hour'. He wondered if we were there to attend the festival."

"What kind of festival?"

"Sex and...violence."

"_Were_ you there to attend the festival?"

I gave her a look. "No. We just happened to stumble upon it. We hid till the orgy was over. But later we'd found that Bilar had raped this girl who was the daughter of some ally of ours-- he probably attacked many other poor girls during this festival." I pointed behind me. "That man looked and sounded exactly like him."

"Who?"

"Bilar!"

"Why would this...Bilar be on Delta Vega?"

"I don't know--" I shook my head. "It probably wasn't him. Come on." We stopped in front of another structure with pictures of clowns on the front called 'Laff in the Dark'. A funhouse.

"Lets go in there," Jo suggested. I debated whether or not to remind her that I wasn't fond of clowns, with their painted on smiles and make-up covering their features. I didn't trust them. I didn't bother to... remind her, and followed her in.

It was of course dark inside. We entered though a giant clown's head. I didn't find much to 'laff' at. The funhouse had the expected things: hanging items, objects popping out at us out of nowhere, maniacal laughter, blasts of cold air, a maze. The hall of mirrors, where I saw...

------

Jo went off into the kitchen to make a late night meal for Jim, who'd agreed that he was indeed hungry. Jim was always thinking about food, and usually that annoyed me, but right now I took it as a sign that Jim was acting like himself. That relaxed me slightly, but not entirely. I sat down heavily on the couch. Jim sat down next to me and we commenced a conversation entirely in hushed whispers:

"What is it, Bones?"

"I saw something while I was at that damned amusement park."

"What did you see?"

I looked at him. "Romulans."

"Bones. That's impossible--"

"Is it? They could be following us."

"Bones. They're gone. Stop--."

"How do you know they're gone? I'm serious Jim. I did see something."

"Where?"

"In the funhouse."

He laughed and hit me on the back. "Funhouse mirrors. You saw your own reflection."

"With pointy ears? I don't have pointy ears."

"You've been hanging around Spock. Maybe--"

"Bullshit," I hissed. "Why don't you believe me?"

"Because...Romulans? In a funhouse? Aren't you afraid of clowns?"

"I'm not afraid of clowns. I just don't like them."

"Why don't you like them?"

"Because... they delibretly hurt themselves. Now, how is that funny? They always have this permanent smile on their face."

"Not hobo clowns," Jim protested. "They're always sad."

"What I mean, Jim, is that you don't know who they really are. I mean...an evil person or entity could be dressed as a clown wearing full make-up, preying on someone and you'd never know. The whole thing about them is...sinister."

"Sounds like you're just scared of everything."

"Jim."

"Bones you have to admit that you've been a little irrational lately. You've got a lot on your mind."

"I'm not irrational, why don't you--"

Jim pulled his communicator out. "Kirk to Enterprise."

"_Spock here_."

"Spock, perform a wide scan of the planet. Tell me if you spot any Vulcanoid life-forms down here. Report back immediately. Kirk out."

"I know what I saw Jim. They're following us. They're here on the planet--"

Jim's communicator beeped and he flipped it open. "Kirk here."

"_Spock here. No sign of Vulcanoid life forms_."

"Acknowledged. Kirk out." He bounced it shut and glared daggers at me. "You see, Bones? Why don't you just relax?"

"Jim--"

"Jim," Jo said as she came out from the kitchen. "I made you and Len something to eat."

"Coming Bones?"

"I'm going...to turn in for the night. I'm not that hungry."

------

"Daddy," she said, dressed all in pink-- she always wore pink, her favorite color--clutching her little brown Teddy Bear with the pink bow around it's neck. She held it out to me. "Sir Bear-bear's hurt. Fix him."

I gently took it from her, the soft fur so gentle against my hands. I ran my scanner over the foot, and she giggled as she watched me. "Well, his foot is broken," I said. "Daddy's gonna have to perform surgery on him. Gonna have to be confined to sickbay for a few days."

She giggled again. "Okay daddy. Can I come too?"

"Of course you can, Pumpkin." I grabbed her hand. "Let's go."

"How come I couldn't before?" she asked.

I walked her along the corridor. The only footsteps were mine. Joanna's were muffled by those tiny white bunny slippers she wore when she was out sneaking around the ship instead of in bed sleeping like she was supposed to be. What would her mother think? "Hmmm?"

"Before, Daddy. How come I couldn't come with you before?"

We kept walking along the corridor. "Well, you're here now."

She stopped, closed her eyes, then opened them. Her beautiful blue eyes had turned completely black. Her voice reverberated accusingly: "No I'm not. You left me, Daddy--"

I woke up with a start in the deathly quiet of the guest bedroom. It had been a long time since I'd been in a place where it was this damned quiet. It was unnerving. Not even the sound of the ships bells to comfort me here. I checked my chrono. It was still pretty early, ships time and planet time only about an hour apart.

I got out of bed, pulled my boots on, used the toilet, and got myself a glass of water from the bathroom. I studied myself in the mirror, and noticed the bags under my eyes seemed to be even more pronounced lately. My blue uniform tunic was completely wrinkled from being slept in. I pulled it off, leaving my black t-shirt and pants on.

Walking down the quiet hall, I looked in on Dr. Bell who was still asleep. Jim's bedroom door was closed. I supposed he was asleep too. That porch swing out front had looked good enough to sit on. There was a cooler breeze outside so I decided to go out and do just that... for a little while.

As I opened the front door and as I made my way to the swing on the porch, I noticed it already had one occupant, Jo. She was dressed in a flimsy white nightgown. "Evening," I whispered and sat down next to her, the swing moving a little under my weight.

"Hi," she whispered back. We both sat and looked straight ahead out into the trees.

"You still wear your ring," I finally said to her, breaking the long silence.

She chuckled. "You noticed."

"Of course I did-- thing cost me almost two months worth of credits."

"You still wear yours too," she replied quietly.

We sunk back into another long silence. Wind rustled the trees in the front yard. "Cute kid," I finally said. "Her little boy."

"He really took to you."

"Kid thought I was his dad. He's never even met his own father." God damned Starfleet.

"Dr. Sanchez saw Alik once, shortly after he was born. He was transferred to the Enterprise shortly after."

"My ship." I shook my head. "Small universe."

We sat there in silence a little longer, listening to the sound of the wind rustling the trees. "I'd never seen you in your Starfleet uniform before you came here yesterday," she finally said. "It's very attractive."

I gave her a small smile. "Hmph."

"You look good, Len."

"For someone who's almost fifty?"

She giggled. "Uh huh. But you're too thin."

"You sound exactly like Jim and Spock. They're always harping on me about my weight."

"It sounds like they care a lot about you. You three are very close."

"Yes. I love them both, to death. I owe Jim and Spock my life, over and over again. And I've saved their asses many a time, too. We've been through a hell of a lot together."

"I can well imagine."

More long silence between us as the wind rustled the trees once more.

"Len?"

"Uh huh?"

"Being with you at that amusement park--it reminded me of old times."

I chuckled with a head full of the memories. "I remember. You and I used to go all the time before Joanna was born. People thought I'd won you all those stuffed animals."

"That giant giraffe! Remember carrying it around on your shoulders! And everyone was congratulating you!"

"Yes, but you'd actually won it yourself, just like today. I'm terrible at those games, always was, but, I tried didn't I?" I laughed out loud. "What ever happened to that giraffe?"

"I don't know." She looked down and wrung her hands. "It was a long time ago."

"Before I was working too much to spend any time with my own family, you mean?"

"You were a resident, of course you were working a lot."

"I missed everything when I should have been at home. I should have picked a different line of work."

"Doing what?"

I don't know--farming."

"Farming?!"

"Yes."

"That's ridiculous. You're a doctor, not a farmer."

I smiled, chuckled slightly, then sobered. "At least, I would have been home more often, instead of at the hospital day in and day out."

"You were meant to be a doctor. Nothing else."

"It destroyed us. I was never home. You and I started fighting and I started--"

"Len."

"I should never have walked out on you and Joanna--she'd still be here."

"Wasn't your fault, Len," she tried to sooth, reaching out to rest her hand on mine. I could feel her pain and guilt, as strong as mine. "It wasn't your fault."

"How the hell do you know," I snapped at her, pained, pulled my hand away. "If I hadn't walked away, left everything behind--"

"You wouldn't have left if I hadn't--" a sob crept out of her mouth. My arm snaked around and pulled her to me, held her close for a long, long time. Eventually, she reached up to wipe the tears from my own face.

"I hate Starfleet. I regret ever entering the service."

"You wouldn't have Jim and Spock if you hadn't joined. It's given you a happiness I've never seen before."

"Has it?"

More silence, then she said: "You know, even after all this time, I still love you."

"I still love you too, Jo."

We sat there, her head on my shoulder, my hand combing though her soft hair. The kiss was hesitant at first, then it was as if we'd never been apart. It was as if our passion had consumed us and—

The sound of footsteps. I tensed, pulled away and waited.

"What is it?" Jo whispered.

I pulled her to me again, tightly, protectively. My other hand slid down to where my phaser and communicator should be. I'd left them in my room. Stupid. "There's something there."

"It's only the wind," she soothed.

I waited another long tense moment. Heard nothing. "You're right. It's only the wind." My lips found her mouth again, the kiss got deeper, till I heard rustling or footsteps once again. "Who's out there," I demanded softly.

"Leonard." She directed my face back to her with a single finger. "There's nothing there." She nuzzled my face with hers.

"Let's go back inside," I suggested. I got up, pulling her up with me. I looked around, at those now ominous trees but heard nothing more. I grabbed her around the waist, this trim beautiful waist of hers--I could feel the outline of her hipbone underneath the flimsy nightgown.

Together we went back into the darkened house. We walked along the hall, stopping at her bedroom door. She leaned forward to kiss me again, but instead, I touched my forehead against hers. "Goodnight."

"Want to come in?"

I shook my head. I was crazy for saying no, with her wearing that flimsy, sexy nightgown, you could almost see right through it, how long had it been, but--  
"Good night."

"Sleep well, Len."

Alone in my own room, I lay down on the bed and picked up my communicator. "McCoy to Enterprise."

"_Spock here. What can I do for you, Doctor_?"

I felt like a fool for asking, but I still asked: "Have you still been scanning this area, for any Vulcanoid species?"

"_Affirmative_."

"And?"

"_No evidence of any Romulan readings on Delta Vega, Dr. McCoy_."

"Spock, do me a favor and run a scan of the immediate vicinity of this house. Anyone in the surrounding grounds besides who belongs here?"

"_One moment_." There was a pause, then: "_The only readings in the house and it's vicinity: yourself, the captain, your...wife, Dr. Bell and Dr. Bell's young son. That is all."_

"You'll continue to scan all night, Spock?"

"_Affirmative_."

"Okay. Good. Well then...I guess...I'll see you tomorrow."

There was another pause then: "_Leonard_."

I started at the use of my first name. "What is it, Spock?"

"_Do not be concerned about me_." That hung in the air for a moment.

"Goodnight Spock. McCoy out." I popped my communicator shut, and laid back onto my pillow.

The hell with it. I got up, left my room, walked down the hall to Jo's bedroom door. I hovered my hand over it, then softly rapped my knuckles on the wood.

The door opened, and I was pulled inside.

* * *

Stay tuned for Chapter 29...


	29. Chapter 29

The Runes, chapter 29

Author: T'Prillah

Fandom: Star Trek: TOS

Pairings: Spock/McCoy, McCoy/Jocelyn

Beta: thanks always to McCoySpockLove. All errors remain mine.

Rating: M (for HORROR themes, death--not Spock/McCoy)

* * *

Jo was still asleep, her head on my chest, her soft blond hair cascading down. I ran my fingers through it-- so shiny in the morning light-- then caressed her smooth back. She looked so beautiful, felt so good, I'd forgotten how good. She'd been amazed at the change in me. I hadn't been the same old Leonard, unable or unwilling to give her what she wanted. Now I knew what to do before she even asked.

With a soft noise she opened her eyes. "Good morning," I said, moving in for a kiss. I pulled her over so she was laying on top of me. My hands traveled down to her naked thighs. Wanted her again, inched her hips forward so she was straddling me, felt her around me. Closing my eyes, I arched my back as I thrust up into her, my head laying back on the pillow-- oh...it was good, so good.

But something seemed terribly wrong. I opened my eyes. It wasn't her! It was a clown, all painted white face, drawn on red smile, laughing, laughing and still it was laughing. Why wouldn't it stop? The sinister laughing, oh God... he, she...it? It was grinning at me with yellow pointed teeth...it had pointy ears and held up a butcher knife... poised above me ready to strike. Still laughing.

"_Get off me_!" I screamed, pushing whatever it was on top of me onto the floor.

"Jesus... Leonard!" a voice said from below.

I whimpered for just a moment, hugging myself in terror, cringing, till I realized it was really Jocelyn here, not a pointy eared clown at all wanting to kill me as they fucked me. I moved down to the floor next to her. "Sorry."

"What the hell was that all about?"

"Nothing." I swallowed hard.

"Nothing?! You call screaming 'get off me' during sex, nothing?"

"I thought you were...I thought...you were..."

"What? What, Len?"

"I thought you were a clown, trying to kill me." As soon as the words came out of my mouth I felt absolutely ridiculous.

"A clown?!"

I let out a shuddering: "Yeah."

"A clown from the funhouse?"

"Uh huh," I said trying not to make it a whimper. "With pointed ears."

"Oh, Len...So...you weren't awake, just now? When we were--"

"I don't know," I mumbled. "I don't know anymore, Joss. I don't know what's real, what's not."

"It was just a night terror. That's all. Just a bad dream," she soothed, ruffling my hair. "That's all it was. A dream, baby."

"No..." I said. "No it wasn't. It was real."

"What do you mean it was real? Someone is trying to kill you? Who? Who's trying to kill you? Leonard, it was just a dream, sweetheart."

"It's not just a dream. Romulans. They've been trying to kill me."

"What?! Why?"

"Because..." I said. "Because of the Runes. They want the Runes."

"Runes? What are those?"

For better or for worse, I went into the story about how I'd bought them... and the curse and...Spock. She just looked and felt--let's not forget I could feel every goddamned emotion coming out of her too-- absolutely horrified. "...and now...I'm a touch telepath. I didn't like the ability at first...but now I've gotten used to it."

"Touch telepath? Like a Vulcan? That's what happens when you sleep with a Vulcan? You become like them?" The emotions emanating from her: panic, concern, horror, love, jealousy, bewilderment were all bombarding me at the same time, but yet I still held onto her tightly.

"I don't know about other people... but it happened to me."

"You're not going to get pointed ears, are you?"

I had to chuckle a little. "No...no...nothing like that. I'm just a touch telepath. There's another human like me on board the Enterprise. Dr. M'Benga. He's been teaching me alot about this ability."

"You can feel what I'm feeling when you touch me?"

"Yes," I replied as calmly as I could. "I can feel what you're feeling." She was aghast.

"Len. Listen to me. No one's trying to kill you. You're only having bad dreams because you're under alot of stress. That's all. You're worried over nothing. I don't believe in curses. You being a physican, I'm surprised that you do believe in all this mumbo jumbo. You're safe here. No one's trying to kill anybody."

"It's real. It's--"

"Will you listen to me? You're safe here. Nothing's going to happen. Okay?"

I finally nodded. "Okay."

There was a knock at the door then Jim's voice. "Bones?"

"Yeah Jim," I called out from the floor, my arms still wrapped around Jo.

"You alright in there?"

"I'm just fine. Be out in a minute." I turned back to Jo, stood up, drawing her up with me and holding her close. "I'd better...check on Dr. Bell." In response, Jocelyn just nodded, felt awkward around me.

-------

The first thing I noticed was the smell.

The hairs on the back on my neck stood up as I inched my way into her bathroom. Her's was the only bedroom in the large house with an en-suite bathroom. It was no use calling out to her...I knew what I would find, but I still held onto some irrational hope. As I got closer to the crumpled body, the distinctive, sickly sweet metallic odor grew stronger. I knelt down among the coagulated pool of blood and felt for a pulse at the neck. Nothing. I pulled my scanner out...checking for possible minute brain function. Double checked by touching her forehead. There was nothing...just her body, the open artery, and the knife on the floor--

"Bones?" I never even noticed him walking up behind me.

"She's...dead, Jim."

There was a strangled scream/gasp from behind. Jo. She ran forward and knelt down next to me. "No," she whispered. "Who did this?"

"It appears that...it was self inflicted," I pressed out. "The wounds are... self inflicted."

Jocelyn broke down in sobs. All this was my fault. My doing. I was too busy fooling around to watch over Dr. Bell, to make sure nothing happened to her. I failed. I'd brought it with me. I felt more guilty than I ever had in my life.

----------

Since we were planet-side, we had to wait for the local government officials to come, do their own investigation. They also ruled what I had declared: a suicide. She was a doctor, our line of work was stressful. High rate of depression, the stuffy officals from the government kept reminding me, as if I didn't know. Her husband had been killed, she was mourning his death. That's all...simple as that.

---------

Jim, Jo, the little boy Alik and I walked out into the back yard. I held Alik's little hand in mine. Jim flipped open his communicator. "Two to beam up. Stand-by transporter room."

"_Acknowledged_."

"Bye bye," Alik said to me as I lifted him up.

"You be a good boy for Aunty Jo, okay?"

"Okay." I set him down, but he wasn't ready to let go of my hand. He wanted me to stay, still thought I was his daddy.

I stared at my wife, realized I didn't want to go back to the ship. I wanted to stay here. But...I had a job to do. I was CMO of over 400 crew who needed me. Jim needed me...Spock needed me... I still didn't want to leave her. I was terrified to leave her alone here, she could be in danger, Alik could be in danger. I pulled her to me, kissed her with everything I had, the little boy still clutching onto my hand, my other hand around the back of Jo's neck, touching her face, feeling the mix of love and anguish emanating from her...Len, please don't leave me again-- "I'm sorry..."

I met my forehead against hers, ran a finger down the side of her face, to remember what she felt like, her thoughts...I felt myself drinking in her thoughts... is this what Spock did when he'd touched me? I skimmed the meld points as M'Benga had once showed me how to do on another, but I couldn't do it now, couldn't lose myself in her mind, not without permission...and to ask...no, it would frighten her--

There was a tap on my shoulder. "Let's go, Bones."

-------

"Well, that ends that little mission," Jim said a little too lightly for my taste after we'd materialized onto the pads and stepped off. He headed off slightly ahead of me out of the transporter room, with me following behind.

"This way, Captain," I said curtly and motioned him towards sickbay.

"Not now, Bones."

"I am well within my rights as Chief Medical Officer of this ship to perform post planet-side physical and mental examinations of this crew. I am giving you a medical order to report to sickbay, immediately, Captain. Or would you rather relinquish command?"

He scowled. "Coming, but you're not going to find anything."

"I will merely be satisfying my professional curiosity that everything is well with you, Sir."

"Sure, whatever you say, Doctor."

Damn, I didn't find anything physically wrong with him, either. Emotionally, he checked out too. I guess "unfeeling son of a bitch" was the real Jim Kirk after all.

--------

I entered without signaling and strode in without a word. He glanced up. Music was playing, "Moonlight Sonata" by Beethoven. His hand darted over to shut it off.

"Leave it," I muttered. The music was a perfect soundtrack to my mood. I plunked myself down heavily in the chair opposite. I pulled out the Saurian Brandy bottle from under my arm and without questioning or giving me any of his Vulcan bullshit, he fetched a glass. Only one glass-- for me. He wasn't having any. I spent the rest of the evening, in a funk, getting drunker by the hour to melancholy classical music, staring into the middle distance with him in the opposite chair. He appeared almost pensive, his hands steepled.

The next morning I woke up in my quarters without any idea how I'd gotten there.

-------

In my office, the bosun's whistle sounded. "McCoy here."

It was Uhura. "Message for you Dr. McCoy, marked personal and private."

"Put it through, Nyota." She clicked off and suddenly the message came up onto my PADD:

_"Leonard,_

_I'm sorry, but I truly believe your life is there, your destiny is on the Enterprise with Jim and Spock, my life is here on Vega. You and I should simply...move on with our lives._

_I'll always love you,_

_Jo."_

I scrolled down even further. Divorce papers.

Years ago, people used to have to wait six or more months to get a divorce finalized. Not in this day and age. Divorce was immediate, once both parties signed the papers. The property was split up later on. Not that there was anything to really split up.

I yanked my wedding ring off of my pinky, looked at it, opened a drawer and dropped it in. Is that what she was really thinking about when we were making love--whether or not we should divorce? No, that wasn't it at all. She wanted to reconcile with me, but I knew my new ability frightened her. Maybe she also knew I could never really be happy with her, that my life, my heart was with someone else.

Leaning forward, I buried my face in my hands.

After a few moments, I toggled the intercomn switch. "McCoy to Captain."

"Kirk here."

"As soon as you're available, I'd like to see you in my office, Sir."

"Be there as soon as I can. Kirk out."

By the time he showed up, a couple hours later, I was already on my third glass of Brandy. He sat down across from me at my desk. "Here, Captain." I thrust the PADD at him. "Since you're my commanding officer and basically my life belongs to Starfleet, I need your signature on here too."

He read it and grimaced. "I'm sorry, Bones."

I didn't look at him. "Yep."

He signed the PADD and passed it back over to me. "At least...there aren't...any children involved."

I looked horrified, then broke out into hysterical laughter. Jim was a deer caught in headlights. He knew damned well nothing was funny. "You and I...have known each other for fifteen fucking years..." I was still laughing hysterically, "and I just realized...how little you really know about me..."

Those suddenly very sad, hazel eyes searched mine. "You and Jocelyn have a child?"

"No." I kept laughing hysterically, unable to stop. Jim just stared at me.

_____________

stay tuned for the next chapter...


	30. Chapter 30

The Runes (Chapter 30)  
Author: T'Prillah  
Pairing: S/Mc  
Rating: M  
Fandom: Star Trek, TOS  
This chapter features some dub-con and mention of rape.  
Thanks always to McCoySpockLove for the beta/early feedback! All errors are my own.  
Disclaimer: As always, I don't own Star Trek.

* * *

"20/70 unnassisted," Dr. M'Benga said. Well, that was better than the utter, unnerving darkness I'd suffered though before, and the 20/200 vision I'd been tested at up till now without lenses correcting me to 20/20. My vision without the lenses wouldn't be perfect, but it would suffice. I couldn't wear these things forever. I lay back on the diagnostic table, keeping myself still as M'Benga reached to remove the gel lenses. I tensed at the lingering pain. When he finished he picked up the scanner and hovered it again. "The Glaucoma appears to be entirely irradicated," he added.

"Well done, Doctor." My God I was actually so happy I was beaming for once.

"I am pleased that it was a success." He smiled back.

Along with scanning, there were other tests we performed on my eyes. My vision was still under par and granted, I'd be on the Retinax 5 and I would be for quite some time, maybe even the rest of my life, but it was a very small price to pay. I had very nearly permanently lost my eyesight.

--------

Unbelievably, without a further thought about recent events, not even a passing mention from him about Dr. Bell's suicide, or even a single department head de-briefing regarding the Romulan situation, James T. Kirk had almost too happily moved the Enterprise onto our next mission. We would now be charting a sector very close to Romulan space. Charting meant that we would be simply cruising along for the time being. I felt we were vulnerable alone near the Neutral Zone like this.

I'd relayed my various concerns to Starfleet Medical and so far I hadn't heard back a response. I wasn't involved in any command decisions like I used to be. I couldn't do a damned thing about it. The captain was performing his duties as normal. Tests I'd performed on him kept coming up normal, normal and normal. The crew didn't seem overly concerned about him. More importantly, his first officer was backing him up. My hands were tied.

It was never anything major that stuck out in my mind. Just those tiny little personality details of his that were off. Maybe I was just being paranoid, as Jim kept on telling me...

-------

The yearly Officer's Thanksgiving dinner came and went. Wasn't mandatory to attend so I didn't go. Too many memories. Wasn't even a real turkey served anyway. At least the booze in my quarters was real.

-------

He entered the lift from deck 5 and offered, with all the gravity in the universe: "I grieve with thee."

I nodded back almost imperceptibly, then snorted while I debated on what to say in response. I decided to play it off. "Oh. Well...that's a little slow on the uptake. I'm surprised at you."

"Should I have known sooner, Dr. McCoy?"

"No, my Vulcan friend. Of course you shouldn't." Now, if we were still bonded, he would have known about my Terran divorce of over three days almost immediately, but we weren't. Didn't matter anymore, anyway. "Spock, I'm a free man. It's been a long time since I've been...single. Really single." I sighed as contently as I could manage and looked up at the bulkhead. "You know, freedom never felt... so good--"

"Doctor."

"What?" I asked him innocently. "What, Mr. Sp--"

"The captain relayed the information to me this morning."

"Pillow talk?" I batted my eyelashes at him and pointedly ignored the disapproving stare. Since we'd returned from Delta Vega, I... hadn't noticed the... private looks between Jim and Spock. I also hadn't noticed the way Jim flirted with him, the way their chess matches had increased. I especially hadn't noticed how in the evenings Jim's door often flashed up 'emergency override only'. None of my business. "Whole ship know my delightful news yet?"

"Most likely."

"Beautiful." My smile got wider. "Just abso-fucking-lutely beautiful, Mr. Spock...oh...and who do we have to thank? Uhura?" I pressed my lips together into a grimace.

"I overheard the captain himself relaying the information to both Mr. Scott and Ensign Chekov."

"The captain? That goddamned son-of-a-bitch. Chekov's the biggest gossip on board ship!"

"That was the exact wordage whispered from Miss Uhura," Spock said, giving me a curious glance, "upon hearing the captain's apparently cavalier indiscretion regarding your personal status."

I breathed. "I can't believe it. What the fuck is wrong with that man?" Actually nothing was wrong with him, that's what was the crazy part--but-- Jim had never been known before to be indiscreet, especially with personal matters where his senior officers were concerned. It was damned odd, but, even still, not odd enough. Not enough to prove anything. I couldn't get it out of my head that something had changed about him. His personality had turned callous. I didn't understand it and I was his best friend.

"Doctor," Spock broke through my thoughts in his typical drone when he was reproaching me, "it is illogical to assume one can have a 'private life' on board when one works in close quarters with a ship's manifest of 431. You yourself have monitored other members of this--"

"It is my duty to monitor the crew, dammit," I said tightly. "Have you ever known Jim Kirk to engage in scuttlebutt?"

"Doctor, I do empathize with your irritation, even if I do not understand your predilection to overuse vulgar Human expletives to demonstrate it."

"Oh...and I suppose you don't overuse the vulgar Vulcan expletive: 'Live long and prosper'," I shot back at him.

"That phrase is not an expletive," he argued back. "It is merely a--"

"The hell it isn't! I've... felt you use it as an expletive, before."

He opened his mouth for a tart response, then closed it with a sigh when the lift doors opened and Yeoman Rand entered. "Hi, Dr. McCoy."

"Evening, Yeoman. Haven't seen you in awhile."

"Doctor...I'm so sorry."

"Pardon me?"

"I heard about your divorce. I didn't know you were married."

As Spock cleared his throat, I shifted slightly and raised an eyebrow. "Uh...Nobody knew about it...it was just one of those things--" I made an involuntary squeak as Rand suddenly pulled me into an awkward hug, right here in the lift. I patted her arm as I felt her flurry of sympathetic emotions and patiently waited for her to release me, but she kept on hugging me.

"Yeoman, kindly release the Doctor."

She did, albeit reluctantly. "So are the rumors true, then?"

Now what? "What rumors, Yeoman?" I asked.

"You know." She nodded between Spock and me and said archly: "About you two."

"Miss Rand," Spock said. "Perhaps you would be better served by concentrating on your duties rather than engaging in idle ship's gossip regarding ship's senior officers and the private life of our Chief Medical Officer. If you are finding yourself with a gluttony of time on your hands and require additional assignments, perhaps I shall have a word with the captain--"

"That won't be necessary, Mr. Spock," she said as her face fell. The lift stopped at the next floor. "Sorry sirs." She hastily stepped out.

"I am gonna kick Jim's ass," I muttered as soon as those lift doors shut.

"Indeed."

The lift doors opened up on level 7 and together we exited the lift. "Want to hold him down for me?" I joked softly, then added: "Actually, he might like that if you did." Before Spock could walk away, I ordered out of the side of my mouth: "Come to my office."

He nodded and followed me in there. As the door shut us in I whirled on him. "Jim's not himself."

"We have been through this before."

"Yes, but--"

"He has performed his duties exemplary as usual. Have you not recently examined him?"

"I have, repeatedly. I can't pinpoint anything, Spock...but something...is...I dunno. Did Jim even attend the Thanksgiving dinner the other day?"

"I do not know."

"I'll find out. He never misses it, not in three years. If he didn't go--" I jabbed a finger at him, "there's my proof."

"That is not adequate proof of anything."

"Dammit!" I hit the table. "It is."

"Doctor, I believe you are overly tired. You did just have your lenses removed. Forgive me, I shall--"

"Look, Spock... even if I was exhausted, I can still feel when something isn't right." I scratched my jaw, got myself a glass and opened up the cabinet to retrieve my Saurian brandy bottle.

"You have been drinking alcohol a great deal as of late."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Your behavior is quite possibly affecting your judgement. In fact I shall be forced to consult with Dr. M'Benga as to your own ability to function as Chief Medical Officer of this ship--"

"Even blind drunk, I can still feel if something isn't right, Mr. Spock. Even your stubborn Vulcan brain would acknowledge that sometimes--"

"Forgive me, Dr. McCoy. I will take my leave of you. I am now two minutes late for my chess match with the captain."

"Oh, is that what you kids are calling it these days?" I snapped. It was unfair of me to do so but right now I didn't care. "A chess match?"

"Doctor--"

"Spock." I held up my hand. "Please. Do me a favor and pay attention tonight. See if you notice anything odd in the way he plays."

"Good evening, Doctor."

I waved him off. "Live long and prosper, Mr. Spock." He raised an eyebrow, turned on his heel and left my office.

--------

I'll get by,  
as long as I  
have you,  
though there be rain and darkness too,  
I'll not complain,  
I'll see it through.

Poverty,  
may come to me  
it's cruel,  
but what care I,  
say I'll get by  
as long as I  
have you-- *

"Computer! Shut up!" The music immediately ceased and the cabin was shrouded in silence. It was a stupid song anyway. As long as I have you? Stupid.

I looked up from where I was sprawled out on my bunk, over at my monitor silently playing: 'It's a Wonderful Life' on the screen. It had reached the part where George was about to jump off the bridge. I turned the sound up and watched it for a few moments. Oh yeah, the angel jumps in instead. How 'bout that.

My door chimed for the third time in a row. Ignoring that hateful chime wasn't working-- the stalker wasn't giving up. I couldn't pretend to be asleep. He or she could probably hear that I was in here, watching a movie. Another chime. Goddammit. Just for one day they couldn't even leave the Goddamned CMO alone in peace--to wallow in his own self pity--somebody better be dead. I yelled out: "Come in, dammit," hitting the door release beside my bunk.

"Hello." Dr. Gulley, our ship's dentist, swanned in with a bottle tucked under his arm.

I looked over to find him searching for a couple of glasses, generally making himself at home in my quarters. That booze had better not be from my sickbay stash. "Get out, Gulley."

"These glasses clean or dirty?"

"Out."

"C'mon, Leonard. Thought we'd have a drink. Oh, I like that movie. Reminds me of home."

"Computer. Picture off." My monitor immediately went to grey and I jumped up from my bunk. "I'm Dr. McCoy to you. And I'm headed to sickbay, Doctor. Medical emergency."

"I didn't hear any summons."

"It's a private summons," I lied. "It's only for my ears."

"Want assistance?"

"From a dentist? No. You will not be here when I get back, understand, kid?"

"Got something against dentists?" I heard him mutter before my doors swooshed behind me.

In my office, once again blissfully alone, I poured myself a glass of the blue stuff. Yes, the strong stuff, Romulan Ale. Hardly any of it was left in the bottle, being as it was used for...medicinal purposes, and I hadn't been able to acquire any while planet-side anytime soon. When was that last medicinal purpose? I remember. When that cute little brunette yeoman with the tiny waist and huge tits transferred off-ship and Jim was a little...irritated by her sudden departure. I knocked it back--coughed a little. It was damned strong. First time I'd drunk this alone.

Without Jim.

That reminded me. I reached over to my monitor and flipped it on. "Computer."

"Working."

"I need the complete attendance figures from Rec Room 12. All who attended the Officer's Thanksgiving Dinner."

"Acknowledged." She gave me a rundown of all who were there. Most of the bridge officers. Scotty of course was there. The big eater wasn't about to pass up a huge meal and lots of booze, even if it was Thanksgiving and he did hail from Edinburgh, Scotland. As usual, Spock and I were conspicuous with our absence.

Apparently (I noticed as I kept looking at the screen) Jim Kirk did attend. Alright. So he was there. What did he eat? I asked the computer and she gave me a rundown. It was all junk food. He ate no turkey that night, or rather, reconstituted 'turkey'. No mashed potatoes, no stuffing, nothing like that. Just pie, cake, other various items with sugar.

That was odd. "Computer, give me the current body weight of Kirk, James T. Captain."

"Body mass?" The computer asked in her pretty monotone.

"Affirmativ--" I cut myself off, realizing that I sounded too much like that damned pointy-eared first officer who sounded too much like our virtual sweetie here. "I mean--'yes'. Current body mass." Since the Enterprise was running on Earth G's it was the same damned thing. F=G[M m/r squared]. "Sweetheart, just give me the damned figures already--"

"77.11070289999999 kilograms." I let her finish out the decimal points instead of cutting her off, quickly making the note in his chart. Well, the mass/weight at Earth G's wasn't too bad. Wasn't going to have to put him on a gigantic diet and exercise plan like I'd thought. Still his current eating habits were atrocious--

"Computer, give me his weight, on Stardate 6370.12." That was a week ago.

"83.91458845 Kilograms," she said. He'd lost roughly 6.80388 kilos, in one week. Okay.

"Give me his body weight from one standard month ago." She did. He'd actually lost quite a bit of weight, approximately 17.23 kilos in one standard month. "Computer. Give me Kirk, James T.'s complete food menu and caloric intake for the week." Jim was eating mostly chocolate cake and other items with a generous amount of sugar along with his normal daily intake. Complete caloric intake was nearly double his norm, but he still was losing weight. Was he exercising more often? "Computer. Give me complete information on exercise habits of Kirk,  
James T. Include gymnasium visits, track, swimming pool, anything where the heart rate is up."

"No logged gym visits. No logged swimming pool visits. No logged running track visits."

"Oh? For how long?"

She told me. He hadn't been working out for one standard month. I noted it was since he and Spock had returned from that Romulan Colony planet. Hmm. He was normally always in the gym. Shirt off. Loved the crew around watching him. Showing off. I had noticed he'd been clumsy when he'd been playing ball with Dr. Bell's son. Perhaps it was something. It was probably nothing.

"Any other activity, computer, that would bring his heart rate up?"

"Average heart rate indicates evidence of intense activity."

"Specify."

"Unable to specify."

Ah. Intense activity. Sexual activity, most likely. Well, that would bring the heart rate up. I rolled my eyes, snorted and poured myself another glass full of the bright blue stuff. Of course he was engaging in intense sexual activity. I would be too, if I was with--Never mind. Grow up, Bones.

I finished that second drink, decided I'd best turn in for the night, hoped that Dr. Gulley wasn't still hanging out in my quarters. I shut the monitor off and prepared to go, but as soon as I stood up, I knew I'd had way over my limit. Instead of going home I staggered over to the couch in the corner, and crashed down onto it face first...

His arms are braced up against the shower door, hands splayed, stiff, sliding down the slick walls. He's hanging on for dear life, taking it as I give it to him, harder and harder and harder. There's a whimper, a cry, an odd noise that won't register in my head. He's in pain but it hurts me just as much. Still I keep at it. Thrusting. He wants me to stop, I can feel it--oh I can feel  
it--Please, hurry up and finish. Get it over with. Please. I won't stop, I can't stop, I'm not going to stop. Not until I am finished with him. My hands grab at his hips, fingers clawing into the skin. I've marked him as mine. The head flops back onto my shoulder in defeat. Accepting his fate. Yes. Yes. Oh...yes...

"Dr. McCoy."

"Hmm?" I looked up from my PADD in the sickbay ward. "Oh. Good morning, Mr. Spock. What can I do for you?"

He hesitated. "I have a personal medical matter to discuss."

Awhile back, I had switched his primary care physician from myself to M'Benga due to... conflict of interest. "Dr. M'Benga is in the lab. Wait here while I summon him." I turned to go, but he stopped me.

"Doctor, I prefer to speak to you alone."

"Alright, then. Let's get us some privacy. This way, please." I motioned him into a private cubicle. The door slid and locked behind us. "What seems to be the problem?"

"It... burns... when I urinate."

I raised an eyebrow. "Burns?"

"That is correct," he replied. It was most likely a urinary tract infection, a remnant from his shattered pelvis or perhaps from the catheter. Rare in this day and age, but it did happen. I hated to think the symptoms might instead be caused by an STD from Jim, but stranger things have happened.

"Disrobe please," I commanded. Pulling a fresh medical gown out of the drawer, I tossed it over to him, ordered the computer to crank the temp all the way up to 'Saharan' levels, and turned my back on him to give him some semblance of privacy to undress.

"Alright, Doctor."

I turned around. He was sitting on the bio-bed all ready for me in his little gown that tied in back. I grabbed my type II, and with a point, commanded him to lie down on the bed. I scanned the groin/pelvic area with the type II, glancing up at the telemetry on the bed. Everything appeared normal. The pelvis was doing great. It had healed up nicely, I noted, as I kept scanning with the type II--wait--there was something--the prostate was giving me a bizarre reading. "Uh...Mr. Spock."

"Yes, Doctor?"

"I'm going to have to...perform a... manual rectal exam. I don't like the look of something on my scanner."

His jaw tightened. "Affirmative."

I set my jaw as well. I was going to have to touch him... intimately. "Would you prefer if I called in Dr. M'Benga after all?"

"As long as the examination is brief, I do not foresee a problem." A problem. If I touched him in an intimate way such as this, even with the gloves on, there was a problem, granted. The problem was the minute possibility of us accidentally bonding again. Allowing that was out of the question since it seemed obvious to me lately he was cuddly with Jim. None of my business, now was it.

"I'll make this as quick and as comfortable as possible. Stand up for me and lean over the bed." While he did that, I pulled the bottle of surgical lubricant out of the drawer, pulled on a pair of fresh gloves. I poured the lube into my right hand, then stood behind him. I rested my left hand on his hip to steady myself. In response, there was a gasp, or a hiccup and a movement like a jerk from him. "Sorry," I said. "I know this is going to be difficult--"

"You may touch me."

Still I hesitated. "You sure?"

"Yes."

I touched his hip again, felt him jerk. I couldn't sense the emotion he was feeling. He was blocking me out. "Does that hurt when I touch you?"

"No."

"My hands cold?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary."

"Alright. Other than my clammy hands, are you absolutely certain you are not finding my touch uncomfortable?"

"Please proceed." He leaned his head down, waited expectantly for me to get it over with. I...as gently as I could...spread one cheek open and slid my gloved, lubed forefinger into his rectum, and felt where the prostate should be. Gently as not to massage it and cause sepsis, but just enough to feel it. I noted his hiss of pain when I touched it--sure enough, that damned thing was extremely enlarged. I gently withdrew.

"Okay, done." I pulled my gloves off and threw them into the recycler. I sterilized my hands and told him: "You have acute prostititus. The little bastard causing it, is not a Human strain of E. Coli, it's the Vulcanoid version." He must be in considerable discomfort and I was curious as to where he'd picked this up. It couldn't be from Jim. "How long ago did you begin to notice any distress?"

"Two standard weeks," he admitted.

"Two weeks." I shook my head. "And you were hoping it would go away on its own and you waited and waited and waited till it got so uncomfortable that you couldn't tolerate it anymore." I tried not to snap at him, but I couldn't help it.

"Affirmative," he replied tightly.

"Where is the logic in being a fucking martyr..." I grumbled faintly. "Wait here," I commanded. I exited the cubicle, picked up a hypo from the dispensary, filled it with the proper meds. I re-entered the cubicle, shot him in the side. I said, forcing myself to say it kindly: "This will take approximately thirty minutes to clear up. Then you'll be good to go. And for God's sake, Mr. Spock, don't bottom for a couple of days."

There was a faint smirk. "Thank you, Doctor."

"Anytime."

I checked the chrono. We had twenty-eight more minutes to kill before I was letting him out of my sickbay. After some long moments of quiet with us pointedly not looking at one another, and not bothering with the small talk nor any preamble, he said: "The Romulans, on the colony planet."

"What about them?"

"I was...sexually assaulted while captive."

What? My blood ran cold. "Spock...I checked you for that. Jim too. There was no evidence of--"

"There was a device they used. I am not certain as to what it was. They used it to stimulate my prostate."

I clenched a fist. "Prostate massage?" He nodded. "To milk your semen?" He nodded again. "Why would... they do that?"

"I do not know. My memories of the event are...hazy at best. I am assuming they wished to use my seed to help populate their colony on the planet."

I leaned heavily onto the cabinet next to the bio-bed. I let that sink in for a few moments. Delicately, I asked: "Is this before or after they shattered your pelvis?"

"After." I shifted when I heard that. That must have been horrendous.

"And then..." I took a deep, shuddering breath. "And then they tortured you....and then they tried to kill you by breaking your marital bond."

"No. I broke it, as soon as we were captured."

"You did? How? I thought we--"

"It was not an easy thing to accomplish, but it was possible, even if you and I had been physically and mentally intimate before my departure. The bond was relatively new. You were not entirely comfortable with it. You yourself had said you wished for a clean break--"

"Spock...I had also said that I wanted to stay bonded to you."

"Perhaps. However, your mind was able...more than willing to reject the bond in combination with my urging it to be broken."

I looked down sadly and said softly: "Now why'd we go and do a thing like that?"

"To save you from also experiencing the sensations--"

"Of... possible torture and sexual assault," I finished for him.

"Affirmative."

"Spo..ck," I said with a cry of anguish. "I could have...I could have shared the pain with you. It would have been easier for you if I was there. I would have willingly, gladly shared it--"

"You could not."

"I would have."

"Perhaps. However, what is done is done."

Right. What was done was done. I nodded with a heavy heart. "Spock. If what you believe is true...if they are successful, your children will be on that planet, someday soon. We need to help them. Save them from the Romulans."

"I know," he said, strained.

I gathered myself back together and said gruffly: "Let's see if this infection's cleared up or not." I scanned him and found everything to now be satisfactory. "Let me...check the prostate again. To make sure." He stood up, bent over for me again. I pulled on some new gloves and checked him again, careful not to grab his hip this time. "Okay," I said. "You're fine." I pulled the gloves off, threw them into the recycler and put my hands under the wall sterilizer. I wiped my hands dry and was about to tell him he could put his uniform back on, when he suddenly reached out and brushed my fingers with his own. Just a fleeting touch, but... it was a willing touch. "Spock?!" I jerked my hand back reflexively. "Is everything alr--"

"Fascinating."

"What is?" I asked with a slight hiccup.

"You are completely blocking me out with the 'mind rules'."

"Yes." I managed a faint smile. "Yes, I am. That's also thanks to Dr. M'Benga. I've...uh...learned not to broadcast my emotions so loudly to another touch-telepath. I figured you'd appreciate that. Now that I know what you must go through on a daily basis, when one of those damned emotional humans assaults you with his...feelings."

"Leonard." That was the second time he'd used my first name since we`d split up. The first time was the night when I was-- with Jo. It always unsettled me to hear it from him these days. I was about to correct him-- tell him not to use it anymore when he said, "I must apologize to you."

"Oh?" I made a face. "What for?"

"I... brought out your latent telepathic ability by accidentally bonding with you. I should have been more careful. I had used my own emotions to--I was not thinking clearly in those weeks."

"I don't see how anything could have been avoided. You had to--you had to kiss me, didn't you? That's how," I coughed into my arm, "That's how it initially had happened. I bought those things. It's been all my--"

"I should have been more careful. I am a Vulcan."

"Spock, I don't regret what happened between us." Oh the hell with it. I blurted out: "I really miss you fluttering around in my head. I'm damned glad I can feel what others are feeling. At first it took some getting used to--" I broke off as I noticed the emergency light flashing on the console next to the bed. Something was wrong in the lab. M'Benga and Nurse Burke were assigned there at the moment. I hit the switch. "McCoy to lab, acknowledge." There was no answer. "Lab! Acknowledge." I looked over at Spock who was getting back into his uniform.

"One moment," he said, "and I shall accompany you."

* * *

Stay tuned for Chapter 31...

*lyrics to "I'll Get By" by the Ink Spots


End file.
